Detroit Red Wings ready to overpower another guest as Anaheim Ducks visit – NHL Preview
With 18 successful games consecutively on home ice, Detroit Red Wings have proven to be a threatening hosting figure from which hospitality and warmth cannot be sought.
To ensure the dominance on home ice, Detroit will take every possible step to prevent Anaheim Ducks from winning a National Hockey League (NHL) game on Friday, February 10, 2012, at Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan.
Detroit has been out of form on road trips lately, but it becomes a different unit altogether when it comes to playing on home.
Recently, the Red Wings defeated the visiting Edmonton Oilers to ensure their dominance, not only on home ice, but also over the Western Conference overall.
Detroit has 74 points after 55 games, but Vancouver Canucks is only one point behind the Red Wings, who have to ensure more victories to secure the lead in the conference.
In its last game, Detroit overcame Edmonton by scoring two goals in the last 10 minutes of the final period.
Before that, the score was levelled, 2-2.
Detroit’s left winger, Drew Miller, thinks that the team is playing at its best, as a result of which the streak is extending.
He said:
"The home win streak is really unique. I don't think we go into it really trying to say, 'Hey, let's do it to get this streak.' I think we're just trying to establish our game at home and play night in and night out the way that we should play."
It indeed is a negative omen for the lowly Ducks, who are ranked at 13th spot in the Western Conference with 50 points after 53 games.
Thankfully, Anaheim is on a two-game winning streak that might help the players in building confidence to beat the Red Wings.
However, it should also not be ignored that both the victories came against teams that are ranked very low in their respective conferences.
In the last game, Ducks defeated Carolina Hurricanes (3-2) by scoring a goal in overtime.
Ducks’ Corey Perry said after the victory:
“It was huge. You look where we are in the standings. You look at what we've done the last month. Every point counts for us. It doesn't matter who it's against or what, but we needed it for the road trip. We didn't want to go on the road trip on a losing note.”
Detroit is likely to win the game, but who knows if Anaheim surprises the host.
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