Red Wings – Oilers Pregame Notes

After their short break in Western Canada this week, the Red Wings resume their drive to the playoffs tonight in Edmonton.

The Wings ended Monday night three points up on the Calgary Flames in the standings and one point behind the Nashville Predators. With both of those teams having played since then, Detroit remains in eighth place but now sit only one point up on Calgary and five back of Nashville.

The NHL-worst Oilers give the Wings a chance to earn back some of the points that the Flames and Predators have gained on them but, like Detroit, their position in the standings is less indicative of how they’ve played and more a sign of the injuries they’ve fought through.

The Oilers will be starting winless Devan Dubnyk in goal. Despite suggestions that Chris Osgood would start for Detroit, Jimmy Howard will be between the pipes again. Jonathan Ericsson rotates in on the Detroit blue line, replacing Brett Lebda.