The Detroit Red Wings managed to pick up a badly-needed victory on Tuesday evening, taking down the Boston Bruins by a 5-4 final score at Little Caesars Arena to halt what was a four-game winless skid.
Their metal will now be put to the test once again as they've embarked on a six-game road trip that will begin on Thursday evening against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
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For head coach Todd McLellan, he's looking forward to the challenge that this road trip represents for his club.
"It's going to be a big challenge," McLellan said of the next six games. "The travel, the buildings that we go to, the teams that we're going to play, everyone's a little different, so we have to prepare each and every night. But I think the opportunity that lies ahead of us is two-fold."
"One, to have a successful trip and build, and then two, to find our game and continue to build on it. I'm looking forward to it, and it starts here tonight against a real good team."
The Red Wings defeated the Blue Jackets on Nov. 22 by a 4-3 final score in overtime thanks to a two-goal third period comeback effort that was capped by Alex DeBrincat's winning tally in the extra session.
However, Detroit's next four games weren't as fruitful. They dropped contests to both the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning on home ice, which were highlighted by multiple defensive miscues that their opposition took advantage of.
Red Wings forward Elmer Soderblom, whom they'd like to contribute more offensively as he only has a single goal in the 14 games he's skated in, said Detroit isn't going to be taking Columbus lightly.
"I'm Happy For Him": Todd McLellan Talks Up John Gibson After Win Vs. Bruins Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan was happy for goaltender John Gibson on Tuesday night after he picked up his first win since Nov. 13. “They have some skilled players and some physicality,” Soderblom said of the impending matchup against Columbus. “Always good battles against this team. I think we always have tight games, so it’s going to be fun.”
Following Thursday's game, the Red Wings will travel to Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Chicago before returning home on Nov. 16 against the New York Islanders.
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