ANAHEIM — The Detroit Red Wings will look to complete a perfect three-game California road trip on Sunday night when they face the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center.
After opening their road trip with a 5-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, the Red Wings outlasted the Los Angeles Kings in a shootout, 4-3, on Thursday.
“Kind of pinned this trip as an important one for us to get back on the tracks,” Jake Walman said. “I think we’re doing a pretty good job of it. We’re coming together pretty good.”
Puck drop between Detroit (19-16-4; 42 points) and Anaheim (13-24-1; 27 points) is set for 8 p.m. ET/5p.m. PT, with broadcast coverage on Bally Sports Detroit Extra and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket).
To depart California with all six possible points, Walman said the Red Wings must be emotionally invested for all three periods against the Ducks.
“Sometimes we find ways to kind of get off our game,” Walman said. “But putting together a full 60 kind of similar to the first two games on the trip. We’ve had a lot of time to bond, so I think guys are excited for this next game.”
Detroit head coach Lalonde said he expects Andrew Copp to play in Anaheim. Copp missed his first game of the season on Thursday with a lower-body injury, but practiced with the Red Wings at Honda Center on Saturday.
“He had some good pop (Saturday),” Lalonde said about Copp. “He told me after the skate he felt pretty good.”
Settling into a groove, Detroit goalie Alex Lyon is set to make his fifth straight start on Sunday. The 31-year-old netminder is coming off a season-high 40-save performance against the Kings.
The Ducks are currently eighth in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division and dropped their fourth straight game in a 3-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
Frank Vatrano leads Anaheim in goals (18) and points (28) this season, while Mason McTavish is second in scoring with 26 points (11-15—26). Trevor Zegras, who missed 20 games from Nov. 13 – Dec. 23 with a lower-body injury, has two goals and three assists in 18 games. Starting four of the last five games for in net, goalie John Gibson has a 7-16-0 record with a 2.97 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in 25 games this season.
In their last meeting at Little Caesars Arena on Dec. 18, the Ducks built an early three-goal first-period lead against the Red Wings before holding on for a 4-3 victory.
“They are going to be heavy,” Lalonde said. “Sometimes heavy teams are very uncomfortable matchups for the group. We got to get out of our comfort zone and push back a little bit.”
DeBrincat named 2024 NHL All-Star on Thursday
On Thursday, Alex DeBrincat was named to the initial 32-man roster for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game, which will be held at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on Saturday, Feb. 3. It will be DeBrincat’s second career All-Star appearance, after the 26-year-old forward represented the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2022 All-Star Game in Las Vegas.
DeBrincat said he is excited for next month’s event but remains focused on the task at hand.
“We’re still missing some guys, but it’s nice to feel good about our game again,” DeBrincat said. “It’s not perfect, but we’ve had a lot more bright spots the past couple games than we did in the month of December. It’s been good so far in the new year and we’re hoping to get another one (Sunday).”
A Farmington Hills, Mich., native, DeBrincat leads his hometown club in goals (17), assists (21) and points (38) through 39 games this season.
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