PREVIEW: Going for fourth straight win, Red Wings host Lightning for Star Wars Night on Friday

DETROIT – Hoping to maintain their early-season positive momentum, the Detroit Red Wings will try for their fourth straight win when the Tampa Bay Lightning visit Little Caesars Arena on Friday night.

“It’s been a good start since Opening Night,” Emmitt Finnie said. “I thought we’ve bounced back well our last three games. We’ve been taking it day by day and not riding the highs too high. We’re just looking forward to [Friday].”

The Red Wings (3-1-0; 6 points) and Lightning (1-2-1; 3 points) are scheduled to drop the puck at 7 p.m., with broadcast coverage on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit).

Friday’s Atlantic Division clash also marks Star Wars Night at Little Caesars Arena. Special ticket packages, which include a limited-edition Star Wars jersey, are still available. And while the light and dark sides of the Force face off on the via Concourse, the Red Wings are back on the ice following Wednesday night’s 4-1 victory over the two-time defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers.

“Everybody brings a certain type of physicality, and if we’re all playing towards our strengths in that area, then we should be a hard team to play against,” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said. “I thought we were competitive in that area [on Wednesday] and we have been the last four games.”

Lucas Raymond (upper body) practiced on Thursday afternoon and, although he didn’t participate in line rushes, was on the ice for Friday’s morning skate. McLellan said the 23-year-old forward won’t play against Tampa Bay but is “getting better.”

The Lightning are set to open their second back-to-back road set of the week after falling to the Washington Capitals, 3-2, in overtime on Tuesday night and beating the Boston Bruins, 4-3, on Monday night.

Brayden Point (two goals, three assists) and Jake Guentzel (one goal, four assists) are tied for first on Tampa Bay in scoring with five points apiece. Netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy is still seeking his first win of the season and is coming off a 28-save night in the nation’s capital.

Goalie John Gibson, who is set to start against the Lightning, feels Detroit is getting more comfortable as a 23-man unit as the days go by. The veteran goalie hopes that trend continues come Friday night.

“We’re starting to click here now,” Gibson said. “Hopefully, we can just keep going and keep the streak going.”