PREVIEW: Red Wings battle NHL-leading Canucks Thursday for second time in five days

VANCOUVER -- After opening their annual Western Canada road trip with a frustrating 8-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, the Detroit Red Wings will look to rebound Thursday night against the NHL-leading Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.

“It’s our road mentality,” Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said. “We have to scratch and claw to try to get every point we can. We entered the third period in Edmonton tied, a missed opportunity. We’ll have to capitalize when we get those opportunities going forward, and an opportunity tonight.”

Bally Sports Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket) will carry broadcast coverage of Thursday’s puck drop (10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT) between the Red Wings (27-19-6; 60 points) and Canucks (36-12-6; 78 points), who are battling for the second time in a five-day span. Last Saturday, Detroit rallied from a two-goal third-period deficit to earn a 4-3 overtime victory at Little Caesars Arena.

Lalonde said there are benefits of playing the same opponent twice in such a short time span.

“Especially a team in the West, to get them twice in three games, probably an advantage in that nothing is going to surprise us,” Lalonde said about the Canucks. “But again, you just keep watching them back and that’s a really good, special and extremely well-constructed team.”

Following Thursday’s morning skate, Lalonde said goalie Ville Husso is week-to-week after exiting the first period of Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury. It was Husso’s first game with the Red Wings since Dec. 18, when the Finnish netminder sustained an unrelated lower-body injury against the Anaheim Ducks.  

“We’ve been fortunate to have all three (goalies),” said Lalonde, who confirmed netminder Alex Lyon will start in Vancouver. “It has saved our season. Here we are again, leaning on that depth.”

With Robby Fabbri unavailable Thursday for the second straight game following the birth of his daughter, Lalonde said the Red Wings will dress the same lineup they used against the Oilers.

“Obviously very happy for him,” Lalonde said about Fabbri becoming a father. "Credit to him, and I appreciated it, he wanted to bring his wife and daughter home from the hospital, so he’s going to be able to do that. He’ll meet us and be available for us in Calgary.”

The Canucks have won two straight games since their overtime loss in Detroit, most recently defeating the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-2, at the United Center on Tuesday.

Elias Pettersson (28 goals, 41 assists) is tied with J.T. Miller (23 goals, 46 assists) for the team lead in points (69), while Quinn Hughes (12-54—66) has four points in his last five games. In 39 appearances this season, Vancouver goaltender Thatcher Demko is 29-9-1 with a 2.44 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and five shutouts.

Growing up 30 minutes from Vancouver in Surrey, British Columbia, Michael Ramussen said he is excited to face his favorite childhood NHL club in front of his family and close friends.

“It’s obviously really exciting and rewarding when you can come back and play,” Rasmussen said. “But then again, it’s just another game and opportunity for us to get two points. Hopefully a good effort and we can come out on the right side of it.”