The Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks take to the ice tonight for Game 4 in the Western Conference Playoffs. The game is scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised live on CNBC and Fox Sports Detroit. The Red Wings are favored to win the game, according to the odds for the contest.
Detroit is going to be playing without forward Justin Abdelkader in this game for his nasty hit in Game 3 to Anaheim's Toni Lydman. It's a deserving penalty as Abdelkader left his feet and put a nice blow on Lydman, causing the Ducks to go on the power play. They ended up breaking the 0-0 tie on that man advantage and went on to beat Detroit 4-0 in Game 3.
Had the Red Wings won that game, especially after picking up a victory in Game 2, tonight's game would have given them a chance to move to a 3-1 series lead. But because they lost now they are forced to pick up a win in tonight's game so they don't head back to California down 3-1 and looking at elimination.
The Red Wings were 4 of 10 on the power play while splitting the first two games of the series, but they went 0 for 6 in Game 3. Detroit has scored only twice at even strength in the series, and both those goals game in the first period of Game 2.
Jonas Hiller has been playing well for Anaheim in net and the blanking of Detroit in Saturday's game saw him make 23 saves.
In the opening game of the series Anaheim scored both of their goals before the empty netter on the power play. Special teams so far in this series have been very important. Jimmy Howard has to get better in goal for the Red Wings. Detroit went 13-7-4 at home during the regular season.
If there is a must-win for Detroit, it's going to be in this game. They cannot go back to Anaheim down 3-1 in the series, meaning they are in a must-win game tonight. We expect the Wings to play better at even strength in this game. They really don't have another choice.
Free Pick: Red Wings 3, Ducks 2
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