PREVIEW: Red Wings aim to start Western Canada road trip strong in Edmonton on Tuesday

EDMONTON -- The Detroit Red Wings carry a four-game point streak into the first game of their annual Western Canada road trip Tuesday night against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.

Puck drop for the season series finale between Detroit (27-18-6; 60 points) and Edmonton (30-17-1; 61 points) is set for 9 p.m. ET/7 p.m. MT, with broadcast coverage on Bally Sports Detroit Extra and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit). In the first matchup this season, the Red Wings dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the Oilers at Little Caesars Arena on Jan. 11.

“Every game brings different challenges,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “Edmonton was (in Detroit) a few weeks ago and beat us. It was a good hockey game, but we got a point out of it. We want to go in there and start the road trip off on the right foot.”

On Saturday, the Red Wings returned from the NHL All-Star Break with an exciting 4-3 overtime win against the visiting Vancouver Canucks. Lucas Raymond, Michael Rasmussen and Daniel Sprong all scored in regulation while Jake Walman netted the extra-frame winner on a penalty shot, helping Detroit improve to 10-2-2 in the 2024 calendar year.

“It was an emphasis in our first practice back from the All-Star Break to get our intensity back, and we did that,” Larkin said. “It wasn’t our best, but we got two points. We felt the last two days we had two good practices to really get our game sorted out.”

The Red Wings practiced Monday prior to departing for Edmonton, and Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said Robby Fabbri (personal reasons) will not play against the Oilers but could be available for Thursday’s game in Vancouver.

Lalonde also said he has not decided who will start in net Tuesday but expects goalie Ville Husso to return sometime on this four-game road trip. Husso has not played for the Red Wings since sustaining a lower-body injury on Dec. 18, and is 9-5-2 with a 3.53 goals-against average and .893 save percentage in 18 appearances this season.

Currently third in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division, the Oilers are coming off a 4-0 road loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Goalie Stuart Skinner made 25 saves in the setback for Edmonton, which enters Tuesday undefeated (7-0-0) at Rogers Place in 2024.

Lalonde said he believes the Red Wings are well equipped to face the Oilers’ star duo of captain Connor McDavid (21-50—71) and Leon Draisaitl (24-36—60).

“We’ll try to flip the D as much as possible, but that’s the issue playing these elite, world-class guys on the road,” Lalonde said. “They can dictate the matchup. With our improved depth, pretty comfortable with all lines out there but that’s probably the reason we’ve had some success on the road as of late is being able to absorb some of those matchups.”