[7:30 PM] Senators @ Red Wings

Who will WIN this matchup?

Ottawa Senators (2-0-0)

@ Detroit Red Wings (0-2-0)

 

Starting Goalies:

Andrew Hammond (OTT): Confirmed

Petr Mrazek (DET): Likely

 

Current odds:

Ottawa Senators: (+125)

Detroit Red Wings: (-145)

 

• The Detroit Red Wings will try to find some answers when they begin the final season at Joe Louis Arena on Monday against the unbeaten Ottawa Senators. The Red Wings, who will move into the brand-new Little Caesars Arena for the 2017-18 campaign, allowed a total of 10 goals while losing at Atlantic Division rivals Tampa Bay and Florida to open the season.

• Former Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson leads the team with four points (one goal, three assists) but also has shown improvement in his own end with a plus-3 rating in the first two contests. Ottawa finished 29th in the league in penalty-killing a season ago and allowed just one goal in eight short-handed situations against rivals Toronto and Montreal. Bobby Ryan has recorded three points and Kyle Turris leads the team with a pair of tallies while Mike Hoffman, last season’s leading goal scorer, has yet to notch a point despite registering seven shots.

• Coach Jeff Blashill switched up his defense pairings Saturday against Florida to little effect, putting Mike Green with Danny DeKeyser while Alexei Marchenko skated beside Brandon Smith in the 4-1 loss. While defense is a concern, the Red Wings managed only 22 shots last time out, and top offensive threats Dylan Larkin, Tomas Tatar and Zetterberg have combined for just two points and a minus-12 rating. Blashill praised the work of Petr Mrazek, who stopped just 64-of-72 shots over the first two games but made several dazzling saves.

• Newcomers C Frans Nielsen and LW Thomas Vanek both have recorded two points in their first two games with the Red Wings.

• Ottawa C Jean-Gabriel Pageau went 13-2 in the faceoff circles against Montreal after going 3-6 in the season opener.

• Detroit earned seven of 10 possible points against Ottawa last season (3-1-1), splitting a pair of games at home.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Detroit Red Wings  

Confidence: 5/10

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