This evening on NBCSN, it’s the Detroit Red Wings hosting the Chicago Blackhawks starting at 8 p.m. ET. Following are some game notes, as compiled by the NHL on NBC research team:
• Tonight, the Blackhawks and Red Wings will meet for the 726th time in the regular season and the first time since Game 7 of the 2013 Western Conference semifinal, when Brent Seabrook’s overtime goal capped Chicago’s rally from a 3-1 series deficit. The rivals will square off from different divisions for the first time since 1980-81, when the Red Wings skated in the Wales Conference’s Norris Division and the Blackhawks in the Campbell Conference’s Smythe Division.
• The Blackhawks – coming off consecutive wins over Anaheim and Boston and with points in 19 of their last 21 games (12-2-7) – go for their eighth consecutive regular-season victory over the Red Wings, having outscored Detroit 21-9 over the previous seven wins. Neither team in this rivalry has won as many as eight straight since Chicago took nine in a row between Oct. 15, 1970 and Jan. 30, 1972.
• The Red Wings, who hold the NHL record for most consecutive home wins in one season (23, set in 2011-12), are 7-11-7 at home this season, tied with Calgary for the fewest home wins in the NHL. Detroit is 2-7-1 in their last 10 home games, including their shootout loss to Toronto in the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium.
• Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa, who has five goals in his last five games, has a +25 plus/minus rating this season (T-NHL best). Coming into tonight’s game, the Slovakian Olympic selection has been plus or even in 16 straight games. Only one NHL player has a longer active streak in that category: the Kings’ Matt Frattin (18), who averages more than fewer six minutes of ice time per game than Hossa.
• The Blackhawks, the NHL leaders in goals (179) and goals per game (3.51), are the only team with three players who have hit the 20-goal mark this season (Patrick Sharp 25, Patrick Kane 23, Hossa 20). However, Sharp (7 games) and Kane (10) are mired in their longest goal droughts of the season.
• The Red Wings (2.45 goals per game, T-22nd) have scored a total of three goals in their last four games (0-3-1, 2 shutout losses). Captain Henrik Zetterberg leads the Wings with 39 points, but he only has one goal and four assists in his last 13 regular-season meetings with Chicago.
• Chicago’s 11 OT/SO losses match New Jersey’s total for most in the NHL, with Detroit right behind with 10. Once regulation ends in a tie game, the Blackhawks and Red Wings have two of the league’s worst records: Chicago (5-11, .313 win pct. - 27th in NHL), Detroit (4-10, .286 – 29th)
• Tonight’s teams feature half of this season’s top 6 scorers age 35 or older; but while Chicago’s Marian Hossa is thriving with 5 goals and 7 points in his last 5 games, the Red Wings’ contingent (Pavel Datsyuk, groin; Daniel Alfredsson, back) will sit out tonight.
Player | age | team | G | Pts | *selected for Sochi Olympics Martin St. Louis, 38, TB 25 50 *Hossa, 35, CHI 20 42 *Jaromir Jagr, 41, NJ 16 40 *Datsyuk, 35, DET 15 32 *Olli Jokinen, 35, WPG 13 31 *Alfredsson, 41, DET 11 30