The Detroit Red Wings are set to face off against the struggling Buffalo Sabres tonight at Little Caesars Arena, with the game scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET. Currently, both teams find themselves outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture as the Red Wings hold a record of 10 wins and 7 losses, while the Sabres sit at 5-8-4.
Fans can tune in to the action on the FanDuel Sports Network or 97.1 FM. The betting odds favor Detroit, with a spread of -1.5 at +145, while Buffalo is at +1.5 with odds of -175, according to ESPNBet.
Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat is enjoying a standout season, accumulating 18 points in 17 games and projected to score an impressive 86 points if he maintains his current pace. In contrast, Marco Kasper has struggled recently, registering no points in 14 of the last 15 games and currently playing as a winger on the third line. Coach Todd McLellan’s recent decision to bench Axel Sandin Pellikka in the third period of a recent win against the Ducks highlights the team’s desire for improvement and player accountability.
The Red Wings are coming off a strong performance, having defeated the Ducks 6-3 on Friday, marking the third time this season they have scored six goals in a game. However, they will need to maintain that momentum against a Sabres team that previously beat them 4-2 on October 22. Captain Dylan Larkin is leading the Red Wings with 21 points and is just three points shy of the 600-point milestone for his career, an achievement that would make him the 11th player in franchise history to reach that mark.
Buffalo, on the other hand, is facing significant challenges. Currently sitting last in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres have lost five consecutive games and eight of their last nine encounters. Their recent loss against the Colorado Avalanche ended with a score of 6-3. Notably, Buffalo is still searching for its first road win of the season (0-5-2), despite boasting the NHL’s best penalty kill percentage at 90.4%. The Sabres’ power play, however, has struggled significantly, ranking 21st in the league.
Adding to their woes, Buffalo will be without Jiri Kulich (blood clot), Zach Benson (lower body), Justin Danforth (lower body), and Josh Norris (upper body) due to injuries. Before the game, Rasmus Dahlin is rejoining the team after attending to a family matter and is expected to make contributions on defense, which could be vital given the Sabres’ current form.
The projected lineups for the Red Wings include DeBrincat, Larkin, and Lucas Raymond as the first line, while Buffalo’s top line features Tage Thompson, Ryan McLeod, and Alex Tuch. As both teams look to turn their season around, this matchup promises to be an intriguing clash with plenty on the line for both franchises.