The Detroit Red Wings have been slumping recently, losing three straight games, but they have the chance to rebound against a team with an identical streak, as they visit the Scottrade Center on Thursday night to take on the St. Louis Blues.
The Red Wings have just nine points through nine games this season and already have suffered an embarrassing loss at the Scottrade Center, falling 6-0 to open the season on January 19th. The biggest issue for the Red Wings then and now is the penalty kill. Detroit allowed four goals in five chances during the first game and the team is ranked 28th in the NHL in penalty kill percentage.
Detroit allowed two power play goals to the Blues in their last 5-3 win at home on Friday and enters the game following a 4-1 loss to Calgary on Tuesday. The team is leading the league in power play goals allowed with 13 and the team hasn't been much better on the other side, giving up two short-handed goals, the worst in the NHL.
Detroit has had issues keeping leads, including in the home defeat against Calgary as well as 4-2 loss against Columbus that saw the Red Wings give up three straight goals.
"Catch-up hockey is losing hockey," coach Mike Babcock told the team's official website. "You can't start from behind. You have to start from ahead; that's what you want to do and get playing right from the get-go."
The defending Central Division champs are 6-3-1 to start the season, but the blues are coming off of their worst loss of the season, falling 6-1 to the Predators on Tuesday.
"This is a team loss that has been coming for a little while," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We're allowing the other teams' competitiveness to frustrate us. And it pushes us into individual hockey rather than team hockey."
The Blues are now trying to avoid their first three regulation-game losing streak since 2011. Rookie Vladimir Tarasenko has been excellent in his first professional season, leading the team with 10 points, including three against the Red Wings.
Jonas Gustavsson is hurt, so Petr Mrazek might be in goal for Detroit instead of Jimmy Howard, who has started nine games this season already, going 1-2 in February with a 3.67 goals-against average and .857 save percentage.
"Obviously, he's been getting too much (work)," coach Mike Babcock said.
Howard has struggled against the Blues recently, losing three out of the past four starts, while Mrazek would be making his first NHL start. According to the AP: He went 16-7-3 with a 2.26 GAA in 25 games with Grand Rapids of the AHL before being recalled Monday.
The Red Wings are ranked 18th in scoring and 24th in goals against, while the Blues are first in the league in power play percentage and second in goals per game with 3.4.
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