Red Wings look to extend win streak against Dallas

The Detroit Red Wings will be looking to extend their modest two game win streak at home against the Dallas Stars.  In November, Dallas won the first meeting between the two teams 5-2.

This is game #41, the midway point of the season for the Red Wings.  Detroit are currently 13-6-2 at home while Dallas are 5-12-1 on the road.

Game time is 7:30 PM ET at LCA in Detroit, MI.

Players Focus: The Smith Brothers

On Wednesday, the Detroit Red Wings claimed Gemel Smith off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Smith is the older brother of current Detroit forward Givani Smith.  Gemel sustained an abdominal injury in training camp and was set to return to the Lightning lineup on Wednesday.

The addition of Gemel to the Red Wings could ignite a fire under his younger brother.  It is expected that the brothers will likely play on the same line and create turmoil for opposing teams.

Last year Gemel played three games in the AHL and scored three goals, six points and had a +5 rating.  In five NHL games with the Lightning, Gemel contributed three assists and a +3 rating.  Despite the fact that Gemel has been in the Lightning organization for the past three seasons, he has not played any playoff games at the NHL level.

Gemel will join Givani on a Red Wings team that desperately needs another center.  Gemel fills the void left by the injuries to Mitchell Stephens and Carter Rowney.  Gemel has a cap hit of $750,000 for the remainder of this year and next and has the potential to become an UFA in the summer of 2023.

Red Wings Notes

• Detroit are currently 5th in the Atlantic Division with a 18-17-5 record
• The Red Wings special teams are currently ranked 27th in the NHL, PP 15.0%, PK 79.1%
• Dylan Larkin leads Detroit with 36 points in 35 games
• Tyler Bertuzzi and Larkin lead the Red Wings with 18 goals each
• Moritz Seider leads the Red Wings with 22 assists
• Seider leads all Detroit defensemen in scoring with 25 points in 40 games
• Bertuzzi continues to lead the Red Wings with a +14 rating
• Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to start and has an 12-10-4 record, 2.69 GAA, and .918 SV% in 28 games

Detroit Projected Lineup

Forwards

Vladislav Namestnikov – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond

Robby Fabbri – Pius Suter – Tyler Bertuzzi

Filip Zadina – Michael Rasmussen – Adam Erne

Givani Smith – Joe Veleno – Sam Gagner

Defensemen

Danny DeKeyser – Moritz Seider

Nick Leddy – Filip Hronek

Marc Staal – Gustav Lindstrom

Goaltenders

Alax Nedeljkovic (starter)

Calvin Pickard

Not in lineup

Riley Barber (lower body), Carter Rowney (undisclosed), Jordan Oesterle (healthy), Thomas Greiss (COVID-19), Gemel Smith (healthy)

Stars Notes

• Dallas are currently 6th in the Cantral Division with a 19-16-2 record
• The Stars special teams are currently ranked 11th in the NHL, PP 27.3%, PK 77.0%
• Joe Pavelski leads Dallas with 24 assists, and 40 points in 37 games
• Roope Hintz and Pavelski lead the Stars with 16 goals each
• Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Pavelski lead the Stars with +9ratings
• Goaltender Jake Oettinger is expected to start and has a 9-4-0 record, 2.73 GAA, and .905 SV% in 14 games
• Former longtime Red Wings forward Luke Glendening returns to play his first game back in Detroit tonight.  In 37 games, Glendening has five goals and eight points with the Stars

Dallas Projected Lineup

Forwards

Jason Robertson – Roope Hintz – Joe Pavelski

Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Denis Gurianov

Michael Raffl – Radek Faksa – Luke Glendening

Jacob Peterson – Riley Damiani – Joel Kiviranta

Defensemen

Ryan Suter – Miro Heiskanen

Esa Lindell – John Klingberg

Joel Hanley – Jani Hakanpaa

Goaltenders

Jake Oettinger (starting)

Braden Holtby

Not in lineup

Andrej Sekera (COVID-19), Alexander Radulov (COVID-19), Tanner Kero (COVID-19)