Detroit hosts Ottawa after Nielsen’s 2-goal game
Ottawa Senators (16-22-5, seventh in the Atlantic Division) vs. Detroit Red Wings (11-30-3, eighth in the Atlantic Division)
Detroit; Friday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit hosts the Ottawa Senators after Frans Nielsen scored two goals in the Red Wings’ 4-3 victory against the Canadiens.
The Red Wings have gone 4-9-0 against division opponents. Detroit is the last-ranked team in the league averaging only 3.9 assists per game. Dylan Larkin leads them with 18 total assists.
The Senators are 6-7-2 against Atlantic Division teams. Ottawa averages 9.8 penalty minutes per game, the seventh-most in the NHL. Mark Borowiecki leads the team serving 54 total minutes.
In their last matchup on Nov. 19, Ottawa won 4-3. Anthony Duclair recorded a team-high 3 points for the Senators.
TOP PERFORMERS: Larkin leads the Red Wings with 18 assists and has recorded 28 points this season. Tyler Bertuzzi has scored four goals over the last 10 games for Detroit.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau leads the Senators with a plus-14 in 43 games played this season. Tyler Ennis has totaled five assists over the last 10 games for Ottawa.
LAST 10 GAMES: Senators: 2-5-3, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.4 assists, 3.6 penalties and 9.6 penalty minutes while giving up 4.3 goals per game with a .879 save percentage.
Red Wings: 2-8-0, averaging 2.2 goals, four assists, 3.7 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game with a .897 save percentage.
INJURIES: Red Wings: Andreas Athanasiou: out (lower body).
Senators: Nikita Zaitsev: day to day (undisclosed).
