When: 1 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
TV: Bally Sports Detroit.
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1) in Detroit.
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Game notes: If you figure, as most do, that Toronto, Boston and Florida should be able to repeat their playoff berths of last season, that makes all the other Atlantic Division games, like today’s matchup between the Wings and Senators in Ottawa, a de facto playoff game. Add in the two squads’ 3-1-0 records and the offseason trade that sent two-time 40-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat from the Sens home to Michigan and, well, a usually sleepy 1 p.m. start has the potential to wake up a bit today.
The Wings dropped both their games in Ottawa last season, on back-to-back nights in late February in a slump that signaled the end of the team’s nascent playoff hopes. In fact, the Wings haven’t won in Canada’s capital since Feb. 2, 2019 — a losing streak of five games — when Danny DeKeyser and Darren Helm scored for Detroit and Jonathan Bernier stopped all 35 shots he faced in a 2-0 victory. How long ago was that game? None of the 19 Wings on the ice are still with the franchise, thanks to the moves made by general manager Steve Yzerman — who was hired by Detroit on April 19, 76 days after that win.
The Wings are understandably happy with their end of the DeBrincat trade, as he leads the franchise with five goals and eight points through four games. Ottawa might be a bit grumpier, as Dominik Kubalik, the 20-goal scorer the Wings sent north, as yet to pick up a point for the Sens. Ottaw is led by All-Star Brady Tkachuk, who has four goals this season, as well as 21-year-old Tim Stützle; the 2020 No. 3 overall pick has two goals and four assists this season and four goals and six assists in six career games against the Wings.
After today’s game, the Wings will face another Canadian foe on short rest, as they return to Little Caesars Arena for a 5 p.m. Sunday date with the Calgary Flames — just in time for the Lions game to end. The Sens, meanwhile, are off until Tuesday when they’ll host the Buffalo Sabres as part of the NHL’s 32-team night of action.
Live updates
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Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Follow him on X (which used to be Twitter, y’know?) @theford. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings at Ottawa Senators: Time, TV
