When the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings meet up on Wednesday, a lot will be at stake for both teams. Not only is it a Western Conference rivalry game with bragging rights on the line, but a playoff spot and home-ice remain in question as well. The Detroit Red Wings could grab on to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference while the Kings can inch closer to having home-ice advantage though out the postseason.
The Red Wings are at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990. They sit just outside the eighth spot and a win tonight could cement them back into the postseason. Detroit is one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Red Wings hold the tiebreaker over Columbus, so their playoff destiny rests in their hands.
The Los Angeles Kings have the postseason clinched. They are in the fourth spot overall and are now focused on earning home-ice advantage. Having the advantage in the first round could be crucial for the Kings, even though it was not an issue for the team last season. The team is tied with San Jose in the standings so every point is crucial in order to have the leg up for the playoffs.
The two teams are long-time rivals, having played each other 190 times in the regular season. Each team has won 81 games against the other so the playing field is pretty equal. The teams last met up in February. Detroit's goalie Jimmy Howard put on one of his best performances Feb. 10 in the Red Wings' 3-2 victory. He faced 47 shots, stopping 45 of them. That is tied for the fifth-highest total a goalie has ever seen in a game this season. Jonathan Quick on the other hand has seen his struggles against Detroit. His 3.16 goals-against average when facing the Red Wings is the worst against any team he has seen this year.
If this game goes into a shootout, there might not be a winner all together. The Kings are currently 2-5 this year when a game goes to a shootout, while the Red Wings are an equally as bad 2-4. Quick has struggled against a shootout, allowing a=opposing shooters to knock in 12 of 22 shot attempts. The Red Wings have not been able to get any pucks into the net, going just 5 for 23 this season.
