PREVIEW: Red Wings, Stars lace up their skates for Hockeytown Holidays Game on Tuesday

DETROIT -- Before taking some well-earned time to enjoy the NHL’s three-day holiday break, the Detroit Red Wings will host the Dallas Stars at Little Caesars Arena for the Hockeytown Holidays Game on Tuesday night.

Detroit (21-13-3; 45 points) and Dallas (25-7-5; 55 points) each entered Tuesday’s 6:30 p.m. puck drop (broadcast coverage on TNT/truTV/MAX in addition to 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit) ranked second in the Eastern and Western Conference, respectively.

“I think [facing the Stars is] a real good challenge for our group heading into the break,” Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said. “They’re a confident group over there. They play the same way night after night. It’ll be good for us to play against them.”

Shooting for a third straight victory, Detroit most recently outlasted the Washington Capitals in overtime, 3-2, at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, which gave the club a sweep of its home-and-home back-to-back set that also served as its Mom’s Trip.

After backing up netminder Cam Talbot in the nation’s capital, goalie John Gibson is set to start for the Red Wings on Tuesday. The 32-year-old is riding a personal seven-game winning streak, an impressive stretch during which he’s posted a 2.00 goals-against average, .934 save percentage and two shutouts.

“He’s been great,” Ben Chiarot said about Gibson. “I thought, right from the beginning, he’s made big saves. There’s been times when we’re not playing great in front of him and he kinds of bears the brunt of it…He’s only picked up the pace as the season’s gone along. Coming from Anaheim, where he was for 12 years, and switching teams isn’t easy. There’s an adjustment period. I think he’s settled in really nice.”

Currently on their Dads and Mentors Trip, the Stars extended their winning streak to four straight contests with a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center on Sunday.

Dallas currently boasts the NHL’s second-best record and has seen three forwards (Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston) cross the 40-point threshold already this season. At the front of that trio is Rantanen, whose 49 points (14 goals, 35 assists) are also the fifth-most among all NHL skaters.

Goalie Jake Oettinger finished with 27 saves against the Maple Leafs, improving to 16-6-2 with a 2.50 GAA and .910 SV% in 24 appearances.

“There’s three zones on the ice and they’ve owned all three,” McLellan said. “They’re top five in both special-teams scenarios. Their 5-on-5 differential is right on top of the League. They’re getting outstanding goaltending. I don’t know what more I could say about that group. That’s what we’re facing tonight.”