PREVIEW: Detroit’s season-long six-game road swing ends in Chicago on Saturday

CHICAGO -- The finish line of their season-long six-game road trip is in sight for the Detroit Red Wings, who will visit the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Saturday night.

“I think we’ve been playing pretty well on the road,” Patrick Kane said. “Obviously, we’ve had a good trip so far…Just have the same mentality that we’ve had on this whole road trip – find ways to win and get points.”

Puck drop between Detroit (17-12-3; 37 points) and Chicago (13-12-6; 32 points) is set for 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, with broadcast coverage on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit). Saturday’s game marks the second and final meeting between these Original Six clubs this season, with the Red Wings previously dropping a 5-1 decision to the Blackhawks at Little Caesars Arena on Nov. 9.

“It’s been a good trip, but it would be a great trip if we could find a way to get a win tonight,” Kane added. “We’ll definitely have to grind it out against this team. We know they took it to us in our building last time, so it would be nice to get them back.”

Detroit’s season-high six-game point streak and three-game winning streak both came to a halt with a 4-1 loss to the two-time defending Western Conference-champion Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Thursday. Head coach Todd McLellan noted that even in the setback, the Red Wings “skated and checked better in that game than we had in the previous three, at least.”

“We gave up less, and it just so happens that the puck went to the wrong people at the wrong time,” McLellan said. “Edmonton is very capable of finishing, so I liked a lot of our game there. I didn’t like the results.”

Fourth in the Western Conference’s Central Division, the Blackhawks are also coming off a loss as they fell to the St. Louis Blues, 3-2, at Enterprise Center on Friday. Since goalie Spencer Knight started in St. Louis, netminder Arvid Soderblom is expected to face the Red Wings for the second time this season.

On Saturday, Chicago will be without Connor Bedard, who was injured late in the club’s game against the Blues. Bedard leads the Blackhawks with 44 points on 19 goals and 25 assists this season, while Tyler Bertuzzi has the second-most points (26).

“First of all, I feel for the kid,” McLellan said about Bedard. “He’s had such a good year, and for it to happen the way it happened isn’t good for anybody, including all the fans that enjoy watching him. As far as our game goes, a lot of the game plan is based on what he does and how he does it. He’s done it real well this year, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’ve got 20 other guys that are very capable…Blash has them very organized. We’ll worry about our squad, not so much theirs.”