PREVIEW: Red Wings open Fathers and Mentors Trip in Montreal on Thursday

MONTREAL -- The Detroit Red Wings players, coaches and training staff will welcome their respective fathers and mentors on the club's upcoming back-to-back road set, which starts on Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre.

Puck drop between Detroit (20-18-8; 48 points) and Original Six-rival Montreal (20-25-3; 43 points) is set for 7 p.m., with broadcast coverage on Bally Sports Detroit Extra and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit).
According to head coach Derek Lalonde, some of the Red Wings' special guests got a head start to this year's trip because they were in attendance for Detroit's
3-2 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena.
"It's unique and certainly distracting at times," Lalonde said about the Fathers and Mentors Trip. "But at the same time, I think there's a reality and motivation to it. I really enjoy these. In some ways, I feel it's a must for the guys."

For Moritz Seider, inviting his father, Kay, on the road to get a behind-the-scenes look at NHL hockey is special.
"My parents did so much for me," Seider said. "They moved places so I could play hockey. It's just something you don't really appreciate at the time, but now looking back after a couple of years, it's crazy to think about. I'm really happy to bring him."
While there will be plenty of time for bonding over the next three days, Tyler Bertuzzi said it is important for the Red Wings to stay focused on the task at hand.
"These [next two games] are huge," Tyler Bertuzzi said. "Obviously we have the break, so these two games are big. Trying to get as many points as we can and go into the break on a positive note."

The Canadiens are coming off a 4-2 loss to the NHL-leading Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Thursday's game marks the finale of a five-game homestand for Montreal, which is 11-13-0 at Bell Centre this season.
According to MontrealCanadiens.com. Cole Caufield, who leads the club with 26 goals in 46 games, will undergo shoulder surgery and miss the remainder of the season. Nick Suzuki, a 2023 NHL All-Star, leads the Canadiens in both assists (22) and points (38), while Josh Anderson (14-3-17) has three goals in the past four games. Montreal netminder Jake Allen has drawn 27 starts in goal and has a 3.52 goals-against average with a .892 save percentage.
Detroit blanked Montreal, 3-0, on Opening Night at Little Caesars Area before dropping a 3-2 decision in a shootout at home on Nov. 8.

NHL announces update to Red Wings schedule

On Wednesday, the NHL announced that the Red Wings' home matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins scheduled for Saturday, April 8, will now begin at 1 p.m., with TV broadcast coverage airing exclusively on ABC/ ESPN+. The game was originally scheduled for an 8 p.m. puck drop.