(Sports Network) - The Detroit Red Wings will try to post their second three- game winning streak of the young season this evening as they continue their tour through western Canada with a stop in Edmonton to battle the Oilers.
The Red Wings visit Rexall Place having won five of their last six games. They began their current three-game swing on Wednesday in Calgary, where they were 2-1 winners over the Flames.
Mike Modano and Justin Abdelkader both scored second-period goals, while Jimmy Howard made 26 saves. Abdelkader was playing in just his second game due to an early-season rib injury, while Modano lit the lamp for the first time since Detroit's season-opener on Oct. 8.
"It felt good (to contribute). It's been awhile, and it's tougher for our top guys to get out there as much as they can as far as (Calgary) getting the last matchups they want," Modano said. "It's critical for us on the road to have our share of chipping in and making life easier for those guys."
Howard, meanwhile, was playing for the first time in three games due to back spasms.
Detroit is 3-1-0 on the road, but dropped a pair of shootout tests in Edmonton last year. The Oilers actually took three of four from the Red Wings last year, but Detroit has still won seven of the past 12 meetings.
Howard was in net for all four games of this series last year, posting a 3.62 goals-against average.
The Oilers will hope some of that success from last year carries over tonight as they are just 1-5-2 in their last eight games at all. They fell to 2-3-0 at home this season with Tuesday's 4-3 loss to Vancouver.
Goals from Dustin Penner, Ryan Jones and Gilbert Brule helped Edmonton rebound from a 3-0 first-period deficit, but Nikolai Khabibulin gave up the game- winner on a soft backhander through a screen with 9:07 left in the game. He ended with 26 saves in the game.
"Sometimes when you throw pucks to the net, they go in," said Edmonton's Jordan Eberle. "It was frustrating for us to battle back and lose, but at the same time, we need to move forward."
Khabibulin is 2-2-1 in his last six versus the Red Wings with a 3.30 GAA.