Preview: Red Wings look to even season series against visiting Dallas

DETROIT -- Statistically speaking, there are several similarities between the Red Wings and Dallas Stars. Detroit hopes returning to the winning environment it has created at Little Caesars Arena is the separator come Friday night.
After a three-day layoff between games, the Red Wings will host the Stars at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Broadcast coverage will air on Bally Sports Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network.

Detroit will look to avoid the slow start that can naturally follow an extended break. Dallas is in more of a game rhythm having already played twice this week, including a 5-4 win at Buffalo on Thursday. The Red Wings are 13-6-2 on home ice, and are coming off a dominating 4-0 shutout win over the Buffalo Sabres (Jan. 15) the last time they skated at Little Caesars Arena.

Detroit has 41 points on the season, while Dallas reached the 40-point plateau against the Sabres. The Stars are averaging 2.84 goals per game, and Detroit is currently six spots behind at 2.68 tallies per contest. Dallas is giving up 3.08 goals per game, while the Red Wings are surrendering 3.23 goals per contest, just two spots behind the Stars.
The last time these teams went head-to-head (Nov. 17), the Stars handed Detroit a 5-2 defeat at American Airlines Center that marked the second of a four-game losing streak for the Red Wings. Dallas jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Filip Zadina and Dylan Larkin scored in the second period to trim the deficit to 3-2. Jason Robertson scored a pair of goals in the third period to put the game out of reach.
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill reviewed the film of that game earlier this week, and summarized it as a "tale of two games."
Because of Dallas' sheer size and physicality near the net on both ends, Detroit will look to utilize its speed and athleticism on Friday, in addition to an aggressive shooting philosophy.
"I watched their game last night [against Buffalo]. The score probably wasn't indicative, early, of how the game was going," Blashill said. "I thought they were carrying, especially as the game went along, I thought they were carrying the majority of the play.
"They're really big, and they're really hard at the net, and then vice versa, they're really hard at their own net. They're really long, excellent defenders, take away a lot of time and space. We gotta use our quickness. I think that's one area that we have on a lot of teams is that we're quick.
"If you aren't ready to shoot the puck against this group, you won't get it off because of how long they are. So we gotta be ready to shoot the puck."

Joe Pavelski's 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) leads Dallas, while Robertson (15-20 - 35) and Roope Hintz (16-14 - 30) have also reached the 30-point threshold. Braden Holtby and Jake Oettinger have both seen significant time in goal, including a 20-save performance by Holtby in Thursday's comeback win.
Former Red Wings forward and Grand Rapids, Mich., native Luke Glendening will make his return to Detroit after signing with the Stars in the offseason. Glendening spent the first eight years of his professional career with the Wings, and played collegiately at Michigan. He has eight points on five goals and three assists with Dallas this season.
Now coaching against Glendening for the second time, Blashill still has high praise for what he brings to a team, and for his hockey character.
"To me, he's a guy that can help teams win. I think any coach that's coached him has loved him for that reason," Blashill said. "Beyond that, I think his character - not just his character as a person, he's a great person - but his winning character from a hockey standpoint is outstanding. He's got unbelievable work ethic, he drags people into the weight room, his practice work ethic every day is outstanding. I've got nothing but great things to say about Luke as a person, as a player and as a competitor."
Friday's contest will wrap up the season series between the Red Wings and Stars.