The Detroit Red Wings are facing a tall task on Saturday afternoon against one of the Eastern Conference's better teams in the Washington Capitals. Washington has been hot this season, with 110 goals scored and just 84 allowed, good for seventh and second in the league, respectively, as of Friday.
If the Wings want to beat them, they need to either perform better at 5-on-5, or draw more penalties. Lately, their 5-on-5 play has been horrendous, with Dave Hogg of NHL.com reminding us that "Detroit has scored five 5-on-5 goals in its past four games, with three coming in a 4-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 13."
That's a gut punch. And the Wings are better than this, clocking in at first place in the Atlantic heading into Saturday afternoon's slate of matchups. Going up against a hot team like the Capitals gives Detroit a chance to prove they can play a sound 5-on-5 game against one of the best defensive-minded teams in hockey.
Alex DeBrincat and Moritz Seider will bring their A-Game
Few realize how good Alex DeBrincat and Moritz Seider have been. But as Dylan Larkin's point production has cooled, DeBrincat's has skyrocketed northward. Max Smith recently wrote about DeBrincat's contributions and how he is becoming a cornerstone for the Wings.
Meanwhile, Nestor Quixtan wrote an awesome piece regarding Moritz Seider's rise, and how one analytics outlet has Seider jumping into the midseason conversation for the Norris Trophy. Seider has also demonstrated more two-way ability this season, and that will only play into his favor.
And finally, Michael Coyle gave us an excellent breakdown of the Red Wings' final six games of the calendar year, including Saturday's matchup against the Capitals. He also broke down how the Wings have fared this season in back-to-backs and home-and-home matchups.
Other notable Red Wings news
The Red Wings will have some special guests when heading to the nation's capital. Their mothers will be accompanying them to the big game. That said, the Wings will have some extra motivation when they face off with the Caps.
Moritz Seider missed practice on Friday, but fear not. It was just a maintenance day, and he'll be ready to roll. Patrick Kane, unfortunately, will not go, and it will be the 12th game he's missed this season.
It also looks like Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets is growing unhappy with the situation over in Ohio. Jake Tye of The Hockey News speculates whether his days are numbered in Columbus and if the Wings will be a viable trade candidate.