This Red Wings team is difficult to figure out. They opened the season at 4-1-0 in their first five games before losing six in a row (0-5-1) and have now won four of their last five (4-1-0). They have been a streaky team and have another good road-trip, going 2-1-0 in the first three games of their four-game Canadian road trip.

12 of the Red Wings first 17 games are on the road, ending tonight in Calgary. Luckily they’ve been good away from their new arena, going 6-5-0 while averaging 2.73 goals for per game and 2.45 goals against in those 11 games.

After tonight the Red Wings return to Little Caesars Arena for a five-game home stand and will play 13 of their next 15 contests in Detroit.

Let’s see how they matchup with the Flames.

So much for the “these will be my lines for a while” because the blender has been back out for Jeff Blashill in recent games. The exciting young trio of Andreas Athanasiou–Dylan Larkin–Anthony Mantha played really, really well together but they didn’t last very long together, because…Blashill gon’ Blashill. Instead of keeping his young centre with players that are helping him, Blashill has reunited Larkin with Justin Abdelkader, who has had a negative affect on him this season. In 110:04 5v5 TOI without Abdelkader, Larkin has a 54.86 CF% and a 54.72 High Danger Scoring Change Percentage—versus a 50.89 CF% and a 46.46 HDCF% in 98:07 5v5 TOI with Abby.

The only question mark for the Red Wings tonight is Scott Wilson, who is listed as a game-time decision  because of a lower-body injury.

The Flames have a really solid top-6 and a great blueline. Their top-line of Johnny Gaudreau–Sean Monahan–Michael Ferland has been together for the majority of the season. They carry a 57.08 CF% together (118:25 5v5 TOI) but have scored just five even-strength goals together.

Their “3M Line” of Matthew Tkachuk–Mikael Backlund-Michael Frolik have been together for over a year and have been very successful again this season. They are one of the best possession lines in the NHL (58.93 CF%) and will likely be tasked with going head-to-head with the Mantha line tonight. That will leave the Red Wings’ second and third lines responsible to do the majority of their even-strength damage tonight.

Travis Hamonic will miss his third consecutive game with an undisclosed injury and while Matt Bartkowski had been filling in, Rasmus Andersson will make his season debut tonight. The 21-year-old was a second round pick (No.53 overall) in 2015 and has just one career NHL game under his belt. He had eight points (1G / 7A) in 10 games with Stockton (AHL) this year and had two 60-point season on the Barrie Colts (OHL) blueline in 2015 and 2016. He should bring more offence to the table that Bartkowski was capable of.

Petr Mrazek vs. Mike Smith.

Mrazek earned himself tonight’s start after posting a 36-save shutout against the Oilers on Sunday.Mrazek has played pretty well in limited action, stopping 145 of the 157 shots (.924 SV%) that he has faced in four starts and one relief appearance. Mrazek has never lost in regulation in three career starts against the Flames.

Smith had a three-game winning streak snapped after allowing five goals on 21 shots in the Flames loss to the Canucks on Tuesday. Overall, he is 4-5-0 with a 2.95 GAA and .902 SV in nine starts on home-ice this season.

Puck-drop between the Red Wings and Flames is at 9:00 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta. You can catch the game on Fox Sports Detroit in the United States or on SportsNet Flames in Canada.

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