Red Wings at Coyotes
THE STORY: The Detroit Red Wings are on a roll again, having won four straight and nine of 12 since Christmas. The Wings are cleaning up at home, but have only been average on the road. Detroit will have a chance to change that as it plays the second of seven out of nine away from Joe Louis Arena on Thursday night against the host Phoenix Coyotes. The Wings, who have beaten the Coyotes both times this season after sweeping them out of the first round of the playoffs last April, are in the NHL’s top six in goals per game and goals against. Phoenix plays six straight and eight of the next nine games at home.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS-DET (Detroit), FS-ARZ-Plus (Phoenix).
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (30-15-1): Jimmy Howard is halfway to a Vezina Trophy-worthy season. The 27-year old has a league-best 27 victories, including three straight, and a career-best five shutouts already. Howard has allowed four goals in his last three games to drop his goals-against average to 1.98. He has received ample support from an offense led by Pavel Datsyuk, who has recorded 39 points in his last 29 games. Datsyuk has 49 points and Johan Franzen has a team-leading 18 goals and 38 points.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (21-19-7): Phoenix scored a season-best six goals Monday, but followed that with a 6-2 thumping at Anaheim Wednesday. Goalie Mike Smith had allowed just six in his previous five games before the Coyotes surrendered their most goals in a game since opening night. The Coyotes, standing three points out of eighth in the Western Conference, will have to forget it quickly and get back to their patented strong defense. Ray Whitney has three assists the last two games to take the team lead in points with 39.
OVERTIME:
1. Detroit has won four games after regulation in January and is 6-1 in extra time overall – including 3-0 in shootouts.
2. Phoenix center Martin Hanzal, out the last 12 games with an upper-body injury, could return soon.
3. Detroit is 3-for-36 on the power play the last 15 games, but has won 10 times.