Detroit's last 2 weeks have been a road trip. The Red Wings took a 6-game point streak west, came back late in Seattle for a shootout point, and lost 4-1 in Calgary, which ended the streak. Then they finished the trip with the comeback in Edmonton. They entered that game 4-4-3, and the shootout win against the league's highest-scoring offense got them above .500. They get 2 days at home before Chicago visits, which is about as good as the schedule gets after a 4-game trip through 3 time zones.
The Edmonton game is the one worth rewatching. Michal Postava made his first NHL start in that building, 2 days after his debut in Vancouver. Detroit trailed 1-0 after the 1st, the teams traded 2 goals each in a wild 3rd, and the Red Wings won it in the shootout as the underdog. Before the game Viktor Arvidsson said they had to be ready to defend hard and skate against that offense, and they did enough of both. Detroit hasn't said whether Postava gets another look against Chicago. That's the main lineup question on the home side.
Health matters more for Detroit than the standings do right now. Kasper (upper body) and Appleton (undisclosed) didn't make the western trip. Compher (undisclosed) did travel. Whether any of them are cleared for the first game back home decides how deep the Red Wings' forward group is, and Detroit doesn't have a lot of scoring depth to spare. On Chicago's side, the main question is Byram. Any time missed on defense puts more minutes on a young blue line that has been giving up chances.
Detroit is the team that has been winning games that look out of reach. Chicago is the team trying to remember how to score. Bedard and Teravainen can change that in one period, and Detroit's comeback habit means no lead is safe in either direction. Where both teams sit after Tuesday's games will shape this one.