PREVIEW: Red Wings focused on details Sunday evening against Ducks

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings will welcome the Anaheim Ducks to Little Caesars Arena on Sunday evening. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m., with TV broadcast coverage airing exclusively on ESPN. Ken Kal and Paul Woods will have the call on the Red Wings Radio Network (WWJ Newsradio 950 in Detroit).

As Detroit (2-0-2; 6 points) prepares for Anaheim (1-3-1; 3 points), head coach Derek Lalonde emphasized the importance of constant improvement in the faceoff dot.
"We've tried to be a detailed faceoff team," Lalonde said. "We've tried to incorporate some faceoff intensity, not just putting it all on our centers. That's how you become a better team, when it's a five-man faceoff unit."

In Friday's 4-3 overtime road loss to the Chicago Blackhawks
, Detroit won just 38.2 percent of its faceoffs. Through four games this season, the Red Wings rank 31st in the NHL in faceoff win percentage (40.1).
It's a small sample size, but Lalonde stressed that "we can do a better job with all five guys."
"Faceoff detail is a huge part of the game," Lalonde said. "It sets your whole five-on-five game up."

Despite the loss, Detroit extended its season-opening point streak to four games. Lalonde, who became the first head coach in franchise history to earn at least one point in each of his first four games at the helm of the Red Wings, said playing with an aggressive mindset will be important.
"Our goal is to go up and improve in this league," Lalonde said. "There are games and points out there that you wanna try to get. That's every single night."
The Ducks enter Sunday's contest, the finale of a five-game road trip, coming off a 2-1 shootout loss on Thursday to the Boston Bruins. Frank Vatrano scored and goalie John Gibson made 35 saves for Anaheim, which has dropped four consecutive games.
The Red Wings and Ducks will play once more this season, dropping the puck on Nov. 15 at the Honda Center.