The Daily: Red Wings Need Five Points on West Coast; Kings Losing Streak

If you are listening to the Detroit Red Wings fan base, anything less than four points on this California road trip would be disastrous for the Motor City team. Five points would be better and six points would mean the Red Wings are heading in the right direction.

Four points seems like a low bar, considering that the San Jose is 32nd in the NHL and Anaheim is 30th.

The Red Wings launched the trip Tuesday with a 5-3 come-from-behind win against the San Jose Sharks. It was their first regulation win since Dec. 12.

“It sets up the trip nicely, for sure,” said David Perron said of Tuesday’s win. “We want to go into LA, be up two points and keep adding them.”

But Tim Robinson’s story about Detroit’s Tuesday win makes it clear that the Red Wings still have work to do to climb back into the playoff race.  They were trailing 3-2 in the third period of that game before two goals by Perron saved the day.

This is a team that needs to figure out how to hold opponents to two goals or less now and then.  That’s happened only twice in the past 16 games. That will need to happen if they want to beat the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.

Red Wings In Case You Missed

• Axel Sandin Pellikka delivers overtime goal to put Sweden into the semifinals of the World Junior Championships.
• MHN’s Bob Duff writes that West Coast road trips have historically been unkind to the Detroit team.
• Red Wings prospect Anton Johansson has one similarity with former NHL star Wayne Gretzky. Duff has story.
• Paywall story: Robinson writes about  Albert Johansson. How close is he to being a Detroit player?

Red Wings Next Game

On Thursday, the Red Wings will be meeting a Los Angeles team that ranks second in the NHL with a +33 goal differential.  The Kings (20-9-5) lead the NHL with a 2.35 goals-against average. They are playing the level of defense that the Red Wings dream of playing.  Oddly, the Kings are only a .500 team at home.  They have lost three games in a row, and only scored four goals in those three losses. That gives the Detroit squad hope.

Hockey Now Network

Montreal: Marc Dumont writes that the Montreal Canadiens‘ top line was dominant in a win against the Dallas Stars.

Philadelphia: Jonathan Bailey offers that the Philadelphia Flyers‘ power play failed them in a loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

Pittsburgh: It not the best of nights for Tristan Jarry in the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ loss to the Washington Capitals .

Vegas: Chris Gawlik says Vegas Golden Knights fans are getting restless over Logan Thompson’s poor goaltending.