The Detroit Red Wings have three matchups coming up in the days and weeks following Thanksgiving that may not be easy to watch. With a good team that still lacks consistency, nobody knows what type of team will show up for any given game.
That creates a lot of uncertainty for Detroit when it plays some of its better division rivals. When two teams who look like their toughest Atlantic Division opponents are coming up, then they have no choice but to play their A-Game. There's even more urgency here, given how close the early division race is, in the Atlantic.
So it shouldn't surprise you that two teams listed below are division rivals. As for the third team? It might shock you, but there's a reason they made the cut.
Nov. 28 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning have turned into the Red Wings' number-one contender for first place in the Atlantic Division. They have been a solid scoring team, clocking in with 69 goals for, but have been lights out defensively, allowing just 60 goals.
Goaltender Andre Vasilevskiy has been one major reason the Lightning have held up so well, with a 0.911 save percentage and a 2.36 GAA. He also posted a shutout and has a 0.688 quality starts percentage.
Tampa Bay has also arguably been the hottest team in hockey. After a slow start to the season that saw them win just one of their first seven games, the Lightning have since gone 12-3, scoring 51 times and allowing just 36 into the net in that span.
If there is any good news, it's that the Red Wings played the Lightning earlier in the year and won in an overtime thriller. But they need to understand this isn't the same team they faced in October.
Nov. 29 at Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins looked like a pushover in the Atlantic Division this season, only to find themselves in the thick of the early playoff race. And they are one high-octane team, currently seventh in the NHL with 74 goals scored, and, as always, David Pastrnak is looking like the surefire top player.
But it's not just Pastrnak. Morgan Geekie has been on a scoring odyssey, leading the NHL with 17 goals, good for a 26.2 shooting percentage. The Wings, who have seen average, at best, play in the net, must be ready to slow down the Bruins' offensive rush.
Boston also has a talented netminder in Jeremy Swayman. So far, Swayman has a strong 0.909 save percentage and 2.79 GAA, but his 0.800 quality starts percentage jumps out. If he's playing well early in this one, it won't be easy for the Red Wings' top point producers to get something going.
Worse yet, this matchup is a back-to-back for the Wings, and it's a road game. Depending on how Friday's contest goes with the Tampa Bay Lightning, exhaustion can easily creep in here.
Dec. 10 at Calgary Flames
Surprised? Don't be. Because this is your classic trap game. With 19 points, the Flames are still one of the worst teams in hockey, and are 29th in the league with 57 goals scored.
It should be an easy win for the Red Wings, but their sheer inconsistency so far this season is a red flag. Too many times, the Wings looked like they were on the verge of outright dominating weaker competition, only to get upended.
This happened twice against the Buffalo Sabres. Detroit also had a hard time against a weaker Columbus Blue Jackets team, playing pedestrian hockey until tying the game in the final period before winning it in overtime.
Right now, it's tough to put faith in the Red Wings when they're playing marginal competition. Should they start putting weak teams like the Flames away early, then fans won't need to dread these meetings. The same goes for tougher competition like Tampa and Boston. Show fans that you can play solid hockey regardless of who your opponent is, and they'll have much more faith in you.