It's been quite some time since the Detroit Red Wings (17-6-5) and Toronto Maple Leafs (15-9-3) were in the same division, but for Original Six fans able to remember that far back, tonight's game in Joe Louis Arena will offer a taste of those heady, long ago days.
You can catch the game LIVE online HERE.
This will be the fourth meeting between the two storied franchises this season. Detroit came out on top twice in October, but the Leafs managed a 4-1 victory in late November.
"It's always a great atmosphere, it's always a lot of fun with the 'Let's Go Red Wings' and the 'Go Leafs Go' chants," Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard said, on the Red Wings website. "It always makes for like a playoff atmosphere. It'll be no different tomorrow."
Both teams are performing well beyond expectation this season, though there were plenty of early-season bumps for the Leafs.
Since a game against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 18 that saw Toronto allow nine goals for the first time since 1991, the Leafs have rebounded and put up a record of 6-1-1 in their last 8 contests.
They are paced offensively by their top line of James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel. Kessel has 28 points so far this season, including five in the last five games. Bozak, who has 24 points in 27 games, nine in the last eight games, is on pace for a career year. Van Riemsdyk has 23 points this season, six coming in the last five games.
They're second in the league in goals per game and have scored at least three goals in each of their last eight games.
The Wings are currently tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
GM Ken Holland's decision last year not to trade away some of his young assets for immediate help, even as the team's 22-year playoff run seemed to hang in the balance, has paid off in spectacular fashion so far this season.
They're 7-1-0 in their last eight games and are averaging 4.00 goals per game in that stretch. The Wings are now fourth in the league in that category.
Detroit's Pavel Datysuk has only played in 17 games this season, but he has five goals and nine points in his last five games and is tied for the team lead in goals. He's had trouble staying healthy of late, but when he is, he's still arguably the best player in the league.
They're also the stronger team defensively, giving up an average of only 27 shots per game - six fewer than Toronto - and ranking seventh in the league in goals-against per game.
Jonathan Bernier, 6-2-1 in his last nine starts, has carried the majority of the load in net for Toronto this season. The Leafs, though, seem likely to go with James Reimer, 4-3-0 this season, after Bernier faced 33 shots against Calgary on Tuesday.
Howard, 8-3-1 in his last 12 starts, will most likely get the nod for Detroit.
