Red Wings at Flyers
The City of Brotherly Love hasn't been kind to the Detroit Red Wings, who last enjoyed a regular-season victory in Philadelphia on Jan. 25, 1997. The Red Wings look to end their nearly 20-year drought against the Flyers and snap a modest two-game skid overall on Wednesday when the clubs meet at Wells Fargo Center.
"You guys keep reminding us, so it's hard to not think about it," said Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg, who is mired in a drought of his own with zero goals in 10 games. "Obviously, we know what it is, we haven't won there in a while. Good thing is we have a chance (Wednesday) and we got another chance next week. But we can't really focus on that, we got to focus on what we do. We haven't been at our best the last two games and we want to get back to that." While the Red Wings have totaled just two goals in back-to-back defeats, the free-wheeling Flyers have erupted for 3.5 per game - including four in three consecutive contests. Captain Claude Giroux scored and set up a goal in Sunday's 4-3 victory over Carolina to extend his point streak to a career high-tying nine games (two goals, 10 assists).
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TVAS
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (6-4-0): Although Brendan Smith scored and set up a goal with his team on the power play in Sunday's 5-2 loss to Florida, the defenseman was quick to warn his charges of the importance of staying disciplined. "We got to stay out of the box," Smith said. "Obviously if you're in the box they have the man advantage and they get more chances for. So I would say if we can maybe be a little bit more disciplined or what-not, that will help us in that category." Dylan Larkin also had a power-play goal versus the Panthers, but has been held off the scoresheet in all three meetings with the Flyers.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (4-5-1): Philadelphia's potent power play has scored seven times in the last four games and on 11 occasions in its last eight. While the Flyers' offense has provided reason to smile, the team's play at the other end of the ice is eliciting a much more negative response. "We definitely have to be tougher in front of our net," goaltender Michal Neuvirth (3.84 goals-against average, .861 save percentage) told Philly.com. "We're getting scored on on a lot of second opportunities around the net. We have to be a little tougher in that area, make it tougher on the other team."
OVERTIME
1. Over five months after its 4-1 victory on Jan. 25, 1997, Detroit won the first two contests of the Stanley Cup final in the City of Brotherly Love en route to sweeping the series.
2. Philadelphia F Chris VandeVelde missed Tuesday's practice to be with his pregnant wife at the hospital, but is expected to play versus Detroit.
3. Detroit claimed RW Martin Frk off waivers from Carolina on Tuesday and sent the 23-year-old to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League, just over three weeks after the Hurricanes picked him off waivers from the Red Wings.