CANADIENS (34-34-6) at RED WINGS (36-26-11)
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS-D, NHLN, SNE, RDS
Season series: The Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens split their first two games with each team winning at home. Detroit forward Darren Helms scored two goals, including the game-winner, and goalie Petr Mrazek made 23 saves in the Red Wings' 3-2 victory at Joe Louis Arena on Dec. 10.
Canadiens team scope: Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban will miss his seventh straight game Thursday. Subban, recovering from a neck injury, practiced Wednesday and made the trip to Detroit, but Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said he will not play. "I've got to follow what the doctors say," Subban said, " right now we're just taking it day by day, just trying to get my timing back with the team. But I've still got some symptoms from the injury and they don't want me back in unless I'm 100 percent." Said Therrien: "The players always decide; they know if they're ready to play." Forward David Desharnais practiced for a second straight day and may be ready to return from his broken foot Thursday. "David's looking really good on the ice," Therrien said. "First of all, he still feels good. We hope it's going to be the same thing [Thursday] morning, and if he feels the same thing, he'll play [Thursday]." Goalie Ben Scrivens will start.
Red Wings team scope: Detroit and the Philadelphia Flyers are tied with 83 points in the race for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, but Philadelphia holds the spot by virtue of playing one less game. The Red Wings did not practice Wednesday in the wake of their 6-2 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Following the game, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill emphasized the need for his players to take advantage of playing their next three games at home. Detroit plays five of its nine remaining games at Joe Louis Arena, where the Red Wings are 7-2-1 at home since the All-Star break. "We've got to win hockey games, and it starts Thursday," Blashill told the Red Wings website. "We've got to win a hockey game. We don't have very many left, so we better come ready to play and certainly take advantage of our home ice and do a good job. I think we've been a good home-ice team the second half of the year overall and we've got to be a real good home-ice team here in this stretch." Red Wings rookie forward Anthony Mantha will make his home debut against the Canadiens. Mantha, who has played four road games, got an assist for his first NHL point Tuesday.
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