Facing Their Nemesis

The Detroit Red Wings are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle in more ways than one. Winners of four straight and five in a row on home ice, the Wings will look to keep that streak of success alive and continue their uphill fight to get back into the playoff chase against a team that has proven to be their nemesis. To suggest that the Tampa Bay Lightning have owned the Wings would be an understatement. The Lightning have defied the laws of Mother Nature by continuing to strike the Wings time after time. Tampa Bay has won nine in a row from Detroit, and 16 of the last 20 since the start of the 2013-14 season. The Lightning are also 8-4 against the Wings in playoff action over that span. Asked to ponder the last time he tasted victory against the Lightning, Wings center Dylan Larkin was left scratching his head. “Uh, not much,… Larkin finally told Detroitredwings.com. “Definitely not in Tampa.… In that nine-game skid the Wings have claimed a solitary point from a 2-1 overtime loss on March 24, 2017. This season, they’ve fallen twice to the Lightning by identical 3-2 margins - at home on Oct. 16 and in Tampa on Oct. 26. “The last time we played them they were fast, they were physical,… Detroit defenseman Nick Jensen told Mlive.com. “They make plays with the puck. It’s not like they’re chipping everything, almost everything was tape to tape.… “It was tough to play against.… The Wings will face Tampa Bay minus goalie Jimmy Howard (lower body injury), who has been on fire lately, posting a .960 save percentage. Petr Mrazek will make his first start since facing the New York Islanders on Dec. 19. Mrazek is 1-7-1 in his career versus the Lightning during the regular season, with a 3.63 goals-against average and an .867 save percentage. In the playoffs, he is 4-6, with a 1.88 GAA and .931 save percentage when facing Tampa Bay. Two playoff series in recent years have helped ramp up the rivalry between these Atlantic Division foes, but Larkin believes a key for the Wings is to take emotion out of the equation. “I think that a common theme that I see when we play against them is we give them tons of opportunities on the penalty kill,… Larkin said. “It’s an emotional game, a rivalry when we play them, and we’ve got to be able to control our emotions and not give them fourth and fifth opportunities on the power play. “They’ve got a ton of weapons and two good (power play) units. If you’re giving them any chances, they’re going to score.… The Lightning also figure to arrive in a foul mood after getting throttled 6-3 Saturday in Ottawa. “Hopefully they didn’t get yelled at too much,… Detroit defenseman Jonathan Ericsson said. “They’ve been playing really well but that’s usually the thing. When they get yelled at, they come out even hungrier than the game before. “So let’s hope the coach was not too mad with them.… Coreau Recalled Jared Coreau was summoned from AHL Grand Rapids to backup Mrazek in Howard’s absence. The fifth-year pro is 12-9-2 record with a 2.77 GAA and a .906 save percentage with the Griffins this season. He saw a season-best six-game point streak (5-0-1) snapped after a 2-0 loss to the Chicago Wolves last night, but Coreau has posted a 2.10 GAA and .928 save percentage in his last seven games played. Coreau, 26, collected two shutouts and a 5-4-3 record with a 3.46 GAA and .887 save percentage for the Red Wings last season. Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer