[7:00 PM] Ducks @ Red Wings

Who will WIN this matchup?

Anaheim Ducks (16-10-5)

@ Detroit Red Wings (13-14-4)

 

Starting Goalies:

Jonathan Bernier (ANA): Likely

Petr Mrazek (DET): Confirmed

 

• The reeling Detroit Red Wings will try to salvage something from a miserable five-game homestand when they play host to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night. The punchless Red Wings have failed to score more than one goal in each contest — and three total — during the four-game skid, with three of the defeats coming by 4-1 margins. Detroit went down meekly in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to Los Angeles, matching a season low with 18 shots on net and mustering only eight through the first two periods.

• Anaheim rebounded from a 6-2 drubbing at Dallas by erasing an early two-goal deficit for a 4-3 win at Boston on Thursday. The Ducks have won four of five entering the third stop on their six-game road trip.

• Anaheim did not practice Friday but one of the ongoing concerns is the ineffectiveness of its penalty-killing unit. The Ducks have surrendered at least one power-play tally in six of the past seven games.

• Going up against Anaheim’s struggling penalty kill could provide a boost for Detroit, which has failed on all 13 power-play opportunities over the past four games following an 0-for-4 effort against Los Angeles. Detroit has converted on 1 of 24 chances with the extra skater in eight games in December.

• Detroit has won only once in regulation over its past 16 games.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Anaheim Ducks

Confidence: 5/10

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