Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET, the Detroit Red Wings (38-27-14, 90 points) and Pittsburgh Penguins (50-24-5, 105 points) faceoff live from the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh for the third and final meeting against each other this season. The game can be live streamed here. Detroit fans can hear all of the action on 97.1 The Ticket while Pittsburgh fans can do the same on 105.9 WXDX.
In what could be a potential playoff preview, Detroit could lock up its 23rd consecutive Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance by earning one point in this game while Pittsburgh has clinched the Metropolitan Division and No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference already and will be looking to play strong heading into the postseason.
These teams have split their previous games, with the Penguins earning a 4-1 victory on Dec. 14 and the Red Wings picking up a 5-4 triumph in overtime on March 20 with both games taking place in Detroit
The Red Wings are coming off of a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday that gave coach Mike Babcock the franchise record for most wins as a head coach.
"The win tonight is way more important than that," Babcock said when asked about the significance of his 414th career victory, according to NHL.com.. "But what I would say to you is these are things you think about in the summer. And I'm thrilled."
The Penguins will have Kris Letang back for the first time since suffering a stroke. Sidney Crosby will likely be in the lineup as well after having the last game off against the Colorado Avalanche. Crosby said he'd love to play in all 82 games but didn't mind having the night off.
"I'd love to, but I think I've played more than 82 at this point, if you're counting every one," Crosby said, referring to the 2014 Sochi Olympics via NHL.com. "So I'm OK with that. I think what's most important is that you feel good at the right time and that's playoffs, so just have to be smart."
Crosby leads the Penguins with 102 points off of 36 goals and 66 assists while Evgeni Malkin has 23 tallies and 49 helpers for 72 points and Chris Kunitz has lit the lamp 35 times while adding 32 assists for 67 points. Malkin (foot) will likely be sidelined tonight.
David Legwand paces the Red Wings with 51 points off of 14 goals and 37 assists while Daniel Alfredsson has 18 markers and 30 helpers for 48 points and Niklas Kronwall also has 48 points by finding the twine eight times and adding 40 assists.
Jimmy Howard will likely man the crease for Detroit and is 21-18-11 with a 2.67 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage while Marc-Andre Fleury may play between the pipes for Pittsburgh and is 38-18-4 with a 2.34 GAA and a .917 save percentage.
The Red Wings and Penguins clash for the final time this season when the puck drops at the Consol Energy Center tonight in Pittsburgh.
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