Taking things to the limit again are the Detroit Red Wings, who fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime on Tuesday, 4-3. That was Detroit’s third overtime game in their current seven-game road trip, which will conclude this Thursday in Dallas.
During said road trip, the Red Wings only won two contests and one of them required an extra period as well. And for the entire season, only nine of their 17 wins were won in regulation and with five victories having been sealed via shootout.
At least goalie Petr Mrazek had a decent outing on Tuesday with 39 saves. However, he’s now allowed three or more goals in four of his last five starts, so it may be time to give backup Jimmy Howard a go this Thursday instead.
Simply put, Detroit has failed time and again to make the most out of their man-advantage opportunities, ranking dead last in the league with a dismal 11.1 percent power-play conversion rate. Considering that they’re the second-to-the-worst team in the East right now, expect the Red Wings to continue struggling unless they make some moves to revamp their offense before the trade deadline in March. Because at this current rate they’re in, it’s indeed highly possible that they’ll miss the playoffs for the first time since the 1989-90 season.
Much like the Red Wings, the Dallas Stars are in disarray. They were shutout by the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, 2-0, giving them just one win in their last five games.
The recent scare regarding the team’s flight back to Dallas further signifies just what kind of season this has been for the Stars: still relatively safe but really on the verge of crashing and burning. But unlike Detroit, the Stars are dealing with a ton of injuries as we speak The loss of team captain Jamie Benn (foot), in particular, has been a crushing blow for them, and Benn’s return is iffy at best for this Thursday night’s contest.
Then again, Dallas has a few bright spots that can turn the team around before it’s too late. Although Tyler Seguin has alternated point-less outings with good nights over the last five games, he should produce well on Thursday night if we are to follow his-hot-and-cold trend of late. Seguin leads his team with 15 goals and 26 assists for the season, and his involvement on offense with Benn’s absence is critical indeed.
Goalie Antti Niemi also had a bounce-back effort on Tuesday with 36 saves despite the loss and the two goals surrendered to the Ducks. The Stars are one of only five teams to allow an average of three goals per game this season, so a sound evening between the posts for Niemi on Thursday is just as crucial as his team putting points on the board.
Luckily, the Red Wings are not elite let alone borderline playoff contenders, so the Stars should be able to take care of business in The Big D this Thursday night.
Writer’s Prediction
The Stars (-155) escape with a much-needed win, 2-1.
