PREVIEW: Red Wings open back-to-back at Senators on Monday

OTTAWA -- The Detroit Red Wings played well against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena, probably well enough to win most nights. In addition to strong 5-on-5 play, Detroit outshot Tampa Bay, 45-18, but dropped a 3-0 decision to its Atlantic Division rival.

"It was hard to watch it back," Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said. "I probably didn't appreciate in the moment how well we played and how dominant we were throughout."
Fortunately Monday's game, the first half of a back-to-back against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, is a chance for Detroit to prove consistently playing that brand of hockey will eventually lead to success.
"I think we had a good game, maybe one of our best games on Saturday," Gustav Lindstrom said. "We need to keep playing the same way and don't change anything."
Puck drop between the Red Wings (28-22-8; 64 points) and Senators (28-26-4; 60 points) is set for 7 p.m., with broadcast coverage on Bally Sports Detroit Extra and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit). Monday's game was initially scheduled at Canadian Tire Centre on Dec. 23, but was rescheduled due to severe winter weather in Ottawa.
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The crowded Eastern Conference playoff picture changes on a daily basis. Entering Monday, five points separate six teams battling for two wild card berths, and the Red Wings currently trail the Pittsburgh Penguins by three points for the second wild card spot.
Needless to say, every game matters for Detroit as it continues its playoff push. That is why, according to Lalonde, balancing practice days with rest days amidst a busy game schedule is "the challenge of this time."
"I'm sure it's unchartered territory for a lot of our guys," Lalonde said. "We value our practices. I don't know if anyone practices more than us because we're building."
Ottawa enters Monday's matchup with the sixth-best power-play percentage (25 percent) in the NHL. The Senators are coming off a 5-2 road win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

"Pre-scouting it, it's dangerous," Lalonde said about Ottawa's power play. "It's elite. A high-end offense. We're gonna have to check. They've put up a lot of goals and they'll simply outscore you."
The Senators feature three players with at least 50 points this season in Brady Tkachuk (24-37-61), Tim Stutzle (26-33-59) and Claude Giroux (23-31-54). Three goalies have seen action for Ottawa this season, with Cam Talbot appearing in 29 games with a 12-14-1 record and a 2.90 goals-against average.

Rasmussen out indefinitely; Raymond expected to return to lineup on Monday

Michael Rasmussen will be out indefinitely with a lower-body injury, Lalonde announced after Sunday's practice.
"No time frame," Lalonde said about Rasmussen, who has a career-high 29 points on 10 goals and 19 assists in 56 games this season. "But probably looks like a significant time frame for his return. Out indefinitely, we'll know more in the next couple of days."

Fortunately, Lucas Raymond is expected to return to Detroit's lineup against the Senators, which Lalonde hopes can spark the offense.
Raymond has missed eight games since sustaining a lower-body injury during practice on Feb. 10.
"With Rasmussen not being available for us tonight, and in a week-to-week type of situation, it's huge," Lalonde said after Monday's morning skate at Canadien Tire Centre. "Good timing."