The Associated Press, Field Level Media and the Canucks’ website all posted previews of tonight’s game between the Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks (8 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/Sportsnet Pacific/TVA Sports/97.1 FM), and the Canucks’ morning skate revealed that all of the Canucks’ new acquisitions will make their debuts with the team this evening, with Kevin Lankinen starting in goal.
DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills has also posted a game preview from the Red Wings’ perspective, noting that the Red Wings are aiming to earn their 6th straight win:
Puck drop for the season series finale between the Red Wings (26-21-5; 57 points) and Canucks (23-18-10; 56 points) is set for 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The last time these clubs faced off was on Dec. 1, when Detroit earned a point in a 5-4 overtime loss at Little Caesars Arena.
“We need to get off to a good start,” Dominik Shine said after the Red Wings’ 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday night. “If we can get off to a good start, we have a good chance.”
Shine collected his first career NHL point on Saturday, getting the secondary assist on captain Dylan Larkin’s game-opening goal in the first period. Larkin now has four points (two goals, two assists) during a three-game point streak and 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in his last 18 games.
And with one more point this season, Larkin (23-26-49) can become the first Red Wings player to notch four straight 50-point campaigns since Henrik Zetterberg did from 2014-18.
“The leadership of [Larkin], he just kind of pulls everyone along with him,” said goalie Cam Talbot, who made 33 saves against the Flames. “You see [Lucas] Raymond elevate his game, a couple of other guys too. You put Marco Kasper in that category as well, he’s been hot since we put him on that wing. [Larkin’s] just been dragging everyone into the fight, and everyone’s been following.”
As good as some individual offensive performances have been for Detroit, head coach Todd McLellan said the netminder tandem of Talbot and Alex Lyon has also been a key part of the club’s success this season.
“In my opinion, you need to have two [goalies] in the NHL to win,” McLellan said. “You just can’t ride or run one guy anymore. The game’s too intense. There’s volume shooting, so the numbers are going up in the 30s and 40s. The travel, as you can see what we’re going through, is too hard on a single goaltender. To have both playing the way that they are is a real good sign, but often that’s a reflection of the group around them doing some of the things that they need to do.”
