Ottawa @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 23, 2019 ) Detroit 2, Ottawa 5

The Detroit Red Wings are beginning to dig themselves out of a hole they fell into during a stretch of 12 losses in 13 games and look to continue moving forward when the improving Ottawa Senators visit Tuesday night. The Red Wings have at least a point in five straight games (3-0-2) after going 1-0-2 on their trip to California last week, capped by a 4-3 shootout setback at San Jose on Saturday.

“I thought it was one of our better games, believe it or not,” Detroit center Dylan Larkin told reporters after the trek finale. “That’s a really good team over there that’s playing really well right now, and it was a back-and-forth game.” The Red Wings lost at Ottawa 5-2 on Oct. 23 during their 1-11-1 slump after the teams split four games last season as both totaled eight goals. The Senators, who received two goals from Anthony Duclair in the victory over Detroit last month, have won seven of their last 11 since opening the season 1-6-1 and continue to show progress despite dropping a 4-2 decision at Buffalo on Saturday. “I think you’ve seen the last 10 games compared to the first 10, we’re growing and we’re going in the right direction,” Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson told the Ottawa Sun. “We’re playing the right way and we’re in the game right down to the end. We’ve put a little string together here of playing well and winning some games but that’s got to continue.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, RDS2, TSN5 (Ottawa), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE SENATORS (8-11-1): Versatile forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau is off to the best start of his career with team bests in goals (11) along with points (15) and shared the league lead with a plus-15 rating entering Monday. Connor Brown, acquired from Toronto in the offseason, has 14 points and fellow forward Vladislav Namestnikov boasts six goals and six assists in 18 games since coming over from the New York Rangers last month. Ottawa will need more going forward from top defenseman Thomas Chabot (one goal, 10 assists), who scored 14 times and registered 55 points in 2018-19.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (7-12-3): Speedy forward Andreas Athanasiou, who was last in the NHL with a minus-21 rating to start the week, has begun to warm up with four goals in the last four games after managing one in his first 16 contests. “The fact he’s starting to convert on those chances means he’s feeling better about himself,” coach Jeff Blashill told the Detroit Free Press of Athanasiou. “I think he’s competing really hard. … He’s winning puck battles, so that’s a great thing for us.” Right wing Anthony Mantha tops the team with 11 goals and 21 points while fellow forward Tyler Bertuzzi is close behind with 20.

OVERTIME

1. Ottawa F Tyler Ennis has goals in his past two contests to push his total to five on the season.

2. Detroit F Robby Fabbri has two goals and four assists with a plus-1 rating in five games since being acquired from St. Louis.

3. The Senators recalled F Max Verroneau, who scored two goals in 12 NHL games last season, from AHL Belleville on Monday.

PREDICTION: Senators 4, Red Wings 3