Flames at Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings vie for the first victory on their current homestand when they face off against the Calgary Flames on Sunday. Detroit began its four-game stretch at Joe Louis Arena on Monday with a 2-1 loss to Buffalo, which halted its 13-game point streak, and dropped a 4-3 decision to Vancouver in a shootout four nights later for its third straight setback overall (0-1-2).
The Red Wings have earned at least one point in 14 of their last 15 contests (8-1-6) and have gone beyond regulation 11 times in that span (5-6). Calgary, which is wrapping up a four-game road trip (2-1-0), is coming off its first loss of the month — a 3-2 setback at St. Louis on Saturday that dropped it to 7-1-0 in December. The Flames have been in nothing but close games since the end of November, with six being decided by one goal (5-1-0) and the other two by a pair of tallies (2-0-0). Calgary is looking to complete a sweep of the two-game season series after posting a 3-2 triumph at home Oct. 23 in which captain Mark Giordano completed his two-goal performance in overtime.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Calgary), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE FLAMES (15-15-2): Calgary continued to struggle on the power play Saturday, going 0-for-4 to remain last in the league with a 10.3 percent success rate (10-for-97). Johnny Gaudreau was kept off the scoresheet by the Blues, ending his four-game point streak. The 22-year-old has not gone more than one contest without a point since a four-game stretch from Nov. 10-15.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (16-9-7): Captain Henrik Zetterberg (lower body) and defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (upper body) both could miss their first game of the season Sunday after getting banged up in the loss to the Canucks. "We hope (Zetterberg is) good to go (Sunday), but I don't know that for sure," coach Jeff Blashill told reporters. "(Ericsson) might be out. ... Right now, it's day-to-day." Jakub Kindl would replace Ericsson while a forward called up from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League would fill in for Zetterberg should the duo sit out.
OVERTIME
1. The Red Wings are 6-5 in overtime contests and 1-2 in shootouts this season.
2. Calgary RW Michael Frolik will miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury Sunday.
3. Detroit LW Teemu Pulkkinen, who suffered a dislocated shoulder Dec. 3, skated Saturday for the first time since being injured.