PREVIEW: Red Wings host Oilers on Sunday to wrap up weekend back-to-back set

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings will finish their first back-to-back set of the season when they welcome the Edmonton Oilers to Little Caesars Arena on Sunday night.

Puck drop between Detroit (4-4-0; 8 points) and Edmonton (3-4-1; 7 points) is set for 6 p.m., with broadcast coverage on FanDuel Sports Network and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit).

“We play a lot of back-to-backs obviously where we’re located geographically, so we got to be able to execute,” Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said. “[Sunday] is the first opportunity. I like the afternoon-to-night back-to-back, obviously a lot different than night-to-night. We’re going to be in this situation a lot, and I’m excited to see how we handle it.”

Lalonde said he wants to see better offensive execution from Detroit following its 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Saturday.

“They’re always a tough team,” Lalonde said about the Sabres, who held the Red Wings scoreless on two power-play chances. “They’re towards the top of most underlying numbers offensively. They’re a handful, and I thought for the most part [goalie Alex Lyon] did a good job for us.”

Mortiz Seider, who recorded a pair of assists against Buffalo, said he felt Detroit wasn’t sharp enough to start Saturday’s matinee, which unfortunately put the Red Wings into a two-goal first-period deficit.

“Those early games, we got to make sure we don’t run from behind or chase,” Seider said. “We got to learn that and take a better step of preparation.”

Seider stressed the Red Wings can’t afford to get off to slow starts against offensively talented teams like the Sabres.

“If you give them time and space, they have skilled guys,” Seider said. “They’ll find ways to expose you, and that’s exactly what happened. Once we did a better job of that, I think we definitely found more rhythm in the game, created chances and actually had some really good looks there 5-on-5 in their zone.”

The Oilers are coming off a 4-0 shutout road win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Netminder Stuart Skinner made 27 saves in his first shutout of the season for Edmonton, and enters Sunday with a 2-3-1 record, 3.06 goals-against average and .890 save percentage.

Leon Draisaitl (4-3—7) is riding a five-game point streak with three goals and three assists in that span, while captain Connor McDavid paces the Oilers with eight points (three goals, five assists) this season.

“We have a quick turnaround,” said Lucas Raymond, who has logged four points (one goal, three assists) in his last two games. “It’s just about reloading, recharging and being ready to go [on Sunday].”