After picking up much-needed wins earlier this week, the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers hope to build on those performances Thursday when they face each other in Pennsylvania.
Detroit snapped a season-high five-game winning streak on Monday with a 6-5 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. The Red Wings trailed 5-3 with less than 10 minutes left in regulation before tying things up and winning in penalty kicks.
“It was a big win for us,” said Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, who had two assists before scoring the key goal in the shootout. “… It was good for our hockey team to score some goals, be down and win like that.”
Andrew Copp added two goals for the Red Wings, while Lucas Raymond scored once in regulation and scored again. Detroit’s boss, however, was Sebastian Cossa, who relieved Ville Husso in the net after the first period and went on to earn a win in his NHL debut.
It’s been a tough one for the Red Wings, who have played 11 straight games decided by two goals or less. During the five-game losing streak, each loss came by one goal, including two in overtime.
“We needed one to go our way,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said, adding that his team “was a little smooth tonight, but we made a mistake. Give the guys a lot of credit for (hanging in) there.”
The Red Wings’ story sounds similar to what the Flyers went through in November. Philadelphia had lost three straight before putting together a strong performance in a 5-3 road victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Travis Konecny ​​had two goals and Owen Tippett hit his fifth in as many games for the Flyers, who play eight of their next 10 games on the road after Thursday’s contest.
“We needed that win,” Konecny ​​said. “We’ve been going the wrong way in a few games, so it was good to turn it around.
Philadelphia, like Detroit, has had a stretch of games decided by two goals or less – nine in a row.
“I thought it was an important game for us to get back to playing with intensity,” said Flyers coach John Tortorella.
The Flyers and Red Wings have something in common because they haven’t reached the postseason in several years. Detroit has missed the playoffs for the past eight seasons (and has an uphill battle to reach the postseason in 2025). Philadelphia, meanwhile, has a good shot at ending its four-year playoff drought.
That said, the Flyers aim to take things one game at a time.
“I think it’s a little early to look at standings and moves and stuff, but, obviously, you know when the big games are, when you’re playing in your conference and your division,” Tippett said. “These are important points until the end.”
This is the first meeting of the season between the teams, who will meet again next week in Detroit and again in Philadelphia on Jan. 21.
–Field Level Media
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