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Sunday’s game preview: Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings
Both teams are playing the second of back-to-back games.
Sunday’s game preview: Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings | Toronto Star
Centre Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings in scoring with nine goals and 34 assists heading into weekend play. (Jose Juarez / The Associated Press)
By Kevin McGranSports Reporter
Sat., Feb. 17, 2018
LITTLE CAESARS ARENA
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 590 The Fan
Key players: Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings with nine goals and 34 assists, adjusting nicely in his second year playing centre, his third season in the NHL . . . Wings centre Frans Nielsen had seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past six games heading into the weekend . . . Nazem Kadri is among the hottest scorers on the Leafs.
Need to know: Both teams are playing the second of back-to-back games. The Red Wings were in Nashville on Saturday night while the Leafs lost 5-3 in Pittsburgh . . . Defenceman Mike Green’s name will come up in trade talk but missed Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury . . . Forward Andreas Athanasiou returned to the lineup after missing Thursday’s game because of illness . . . Detroit was 6-8-2 in its past 16 games and nine points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Florida Panthers at the ACC, 7 p.m., Sportsnet Ontario, TSN 1050.
Game Day: Maple Leafs at Red Wings
Terry KoshanMore from Terry Koshan
Game Day: Maple Leafs at Red Wings
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS at DETROIT RED WINGS
Sunday, 7 p.m., Little Caesars Arena
TV: Sportsnet; Radio: 590 AM
THE BIG MATCHUP
Kasperi Kapanen vs Luke Glendening
Can a couple of fourth-liners impact the game’s outcome? Of course. The fast Kapanen scored the Leafs’ only goal in a 3-1 loss in Detroit on Dec. 15; Glendening could attempt to make another positive impression on Leafs coach Mike Babcock, as trade speculation has linked Toronto to the hard-working forward. Whether Glendening would be a large upgrade on Dominic Moore is debatable.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
The extra push
Both clubs arrived late in Detroit after playing in road games on Saturday night — the Maple Leafs in Pittsburgh and the Red Wings in Nashville. An early lead might help, considering the game could lean toward attrition if there is fatigue on both sides. The Wings are mediocre at home, compiling a 12-11-7 mark in their new rink.
Among Auston’s fave opponents
Auston Matthews entered Saturday with three goals in seven games, and no matter how he did in Pittsburgh, might have been anticipating the match versus the Wings. With six goals in five games against Detroit, Matthews has scored more against only Ottawa (seven). Matthews has a 40% (!) shooting percentage vs. the Wings.
Killing them softly
The Red Wings went into their game against the Predators with a bad run on the penalty kill, as they had allowed 16 goals in the previous 50 opponent power plays. “I think we’re a little too hesitant,” defenceman Jonathan Ericsson said. “We’re not confident in what we’re doing.” The Leafs’ power play was 12th on the road before Saturday.
All evened up
Every NHL coach wants his power play to produce better than it does, but a truer measure of a player’s worth is his contribution during five-on-five play. William Nylander (on the ice for 54 goals while playing five-on-five) and Matthews (52) were one-two in that category in the NHL. Matthews’ 24 goals at even strength were tied for second.
Curtis in control
The Leafs have a respectable record of 5-4-1 in the second game of back-to-back sets and backup Curtis McElhinney has been a significant factor. McElhinney has been sharp behind Frederik Andersen and has won his past three decisions, with a shutout in his previous start, on Feb. 1 in New York versus the Rangers.
MAPLE LEAFS LINES
LW-C-RW
Zach Hyman-Auston Matthews-William Nylander
Patrick Marleau-Nazem Kadri-Mitch Marner
James van Riemsdyk-Tyler Bozak-Connor Brown
Leo Komarov-Dominic Moore-Kasperi Kapanen
Defence pairs
Jake Gardiner-Nikita Zaitsev
Morgan Rielly-Ron Hainsey
Travis Dermott-Roman Polak
Goaltenders
Curtis McElhinney
Frederik Andersen
RED WINGS LINES
LW-C-RW
Gustav Nyquist-Henrik Zetterberg-Anthony Martha
Tomas Tatar-Dylan Larkin-Andreas Athanasiou
Darren Helm-Frans Nielsen-Justin Abdelkader
Tyler Bertuzzi-Luke Glendening-Martin Frk
Defence pairs
Niklas Kronwall-Trevor Daley
Jonathan Ericsson-Luke Witkowski
Dan DeKeyser-Nick Jensen
Goaltenders
Jimmy Howard
Petr Mrazek
INJURIES
Red Wings — D Mike Green (upper body).
Maple Leafs — None.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power play
Red Wings: 18.7% (21st)
Maple Leafs: 20.1% (15th)
Penalty kill
Red Wings: 77.5% (26th)
Maple Leafs: 83.2% (6th)
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