After losing, 5-1, to the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 3, Detroit has given up just six goals combined in three contests since--with one of those on an empty net--and the Red Wings hope to continue their defensive efficiency as they begin a two-game series against the Nashville Predators Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena.
The Wings come into the series at 3-9-2, while the Predators come in at 5-8-0 after losing their last three games, including a 6-1 defeat to the Lightning on Tuesday.
The Predators have suffered offensive struggles of their own lately, producing just three goals during their three-game losing streak, being outscored, 12-3, in that span.
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said it doesn't behoove his team to get into offensive battles on a nightly basis and said Detroit can't abandon its defensive principles to manufacture offense.
"We're not going win games, 6-5, on a regular basis, we're going to have win games, 2-1, 3-2," Blashill said Wednesday. "We've got to make sure we continue to stick to the foundation that's going to make us successful and that's being a really hard team to play against, being good defensively and continue to get the chances we're getting. It's not like we're not getting any chances. And then find ways to win those close games.
"How do you do that? You make a play at a critical moment, you have a key save at a critical moment, you might win the game on specialty teams. We've just got to stay with it. We can't stray away from these principles defensively and we've still got to find ways to be a little bit better offensively."
