PREVIEW: Red Wings face Maple Leafs for Thursday clash on ESPN

DETROIT -- Two days after snapping the Winnipeg Jets' five-game winning streak, the Detroit Red Wings will return to Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night for a rivalry clash against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which have won three straight.

Puck drop between Detroit (17-15-7; 41 points) and Toronto (26-9-7; 59 points) is set for 7 p.m., with TV broadcast coverage on ESPN. Ken Kal and Paul Woods will have the call on the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit).
The Original Six rivals will go head-to-head for the second time in a six-day span. Last Saturday, the Red Wings surrendered four unanswered goals in a 4-1 loss at Scotiabank Arena.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early for Thursday's game, as the first 7,500 fans in attendance will receive a Red Wings-themed Knit Scarf, presented by MotorCity Casino Hotel.
Detroit jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Winnipeg before seeing the Jets pull within one goal three different times in the second and third periods.
Head coach Derek Lalonde acknowledged the game could have slipped away from Detroit, but credited his club's ability to dig in and hold on for the
eventual 7-5 victory to snap a three-game losing streak.
"We will never apologize for two points in this league, how hard it is," Lalonde said. "Especially against a really good team that was on a five-game winning streak. Again, we certainly probably deserve better with those three previous losses."

Getting back to a more consistent brand of hockey will be the focus for Detroit as it continues along its current three-game homestand.
"We really need to be as good as we were before," said Dominik Kubalik, who scored his 13th goal of the season on Tuesday. "And it starts with the basic things."

Toronto enters Thursday in second place in the Atlantic Division, and will be playing in a back-to-back after defeating the visiting Nashville Predators, 2-1, on Wednesday. Mitch Marner (15-34-49) and John Tavares (19-21-40) both scored against Nashville, while goalie Matt Murray made 32 saves for the Maple Leafs.