Staal’s status uncertain as Red Wings host Lightning in Saturday matinee

Originally posted on Wingsnation | By Mike Gould | Last updated 3/26/22

The Detroit Red Wings could go without defenseman Marc Staal when they welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning to Little Caesars Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill announced on Friday that Staal is questionable to suit up for the matinee affair (12:30 p.m. ET, Bally Sports Detroit). The 35-year-old defender has three goals and 13 points in 57 games with the Red Wings this season.

Blashill also confirmed that goaltender Thomas Greiss will miss both of Detroit’s weekend games after suffering an injury in Detroit’s 5–2 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday. The Red Wings have recalled Calvin Pickard from the AHL to run tandem with Alex Nedeljkovic for at least the next two games.

If Staal sits out of Saturday’s game, expect Olli Juolevi to return to the lineup for the first time since March 19. The 23-year-old Finn does not have a point in 13 games with the Red Wings and Florida Panthers this season.

The Red Wings have lost eight of their last 10 games and will be in for a big test against a dominant Lightning team that has already beaten them twice this season. These two teams most recently met in Tampa on March 4, with the Lightning scoring two late goals to eke out a 3–1 victory.

The Lightning (39–18–6) and Red Wings (26–31–7) are separated by 25 points but just one spot in the Atlantic Division standings. The Bolts have fallen into fourth place in the Atlantic; even after its recent slide, Detroit remains in fifth.

The Red Wings

Projected lineup via WingsNation:

Tyler Bertuzzi – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond
Jakub Vrana – Joe Veleno – Sam Gagner
Adam Erne – Pius Suter – Oskar Sundqvist
Taro Hirose – Michael Rasmussen – Filip Zadina

Jordan Oesterle – Moritz Seider
Jake Walman – Gustav Lindstrom
Olli Juolevi – Filip Hronek

Projected starter: Alex Nedeljkovic (17–19–6, .904 SV%)

The Lightning

Projected lineup via Daily Faceoff:

Ondrej Palat – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn – Steven Stamkos – Brandon Hagel
Ross Colton – Anthony Cirelli – Nick Paul
Patrick Maroon – Pierre-Édouard Bellemare – Corey Perry

Victor Hedman – Jan Rutta
Mikhail Sergachev – Erik Cernak
Ryan McDonagh – Zach Bogosian

Projected starter: Brian Elliott (6–3–2, .912 SV%)

Scoring leaders

Detroit: Dylan Larkin (27 goals, 61 points); Tyler Bertuzzi (25 goals, 53 points); Lucas Raymond (20 goals, 48 points); Moritz Seider (five goals, 42 points); Filip Hronek (five goals, 32 points).

Tampa Bay: Steven Stamkos (28 goals, 67 points); Victor Hedman (17 goals, 62 points); Alex Killorn (19 goals, 49 points); Brayden Point (23 goals, 46 points); Ondrej Palat (15 goals, 36 points).

Players to watch

Detroit: Newly-acquired defenseman Jake Walman is already beginning to make an impression in Detroit. The 26-year-old lefty has been rock-solid through two games playing an increased role with the Red Wings and should be a mainstay in the lineup down the stretch (especially if Staal is out for any length of time). Assuming he plays in at least 15 of Detroit’s remaining 18 games, Walman will become a restricted free agent this summer.

Tampa Bay: It didn’t take long for Nick Paul to pick up his first goal in a Lightning sweater. The 27-year-old forward scored 9:39 into the second period of his first game since being acquired by Tampa prior to the 2022 trade deadline, neatly deflecting a Ross Colton feed past Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen. The Hurricanes ultimately defeated the Lightning 3–2 on March 22.

Viewing and listening options

Saturday’s game at Little Caesars Arena will be broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit starting at 12:30 p.m. ET. It’ll be sent over the airwaves on WXYT-FM 97.1 “The Ticket” in the Detroit area, as well as on the Red Wings’ official website.

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