Red Wings vs Blackhawks Live Tonight: Start Time, TV Channel, Odds & How to Watch Online

DETROIT — A revitalized Detroit Red Wings club heads to the United Center on Saturday night to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the second meeting of the Original-Six rivals this season. Detroit (17-12-3) has climbed into third place in the Atlantic on the strength of a 4-1-0 surge through a grueling six-game road swing, while Chicago (13-12-6) is searching for consistency after a 3-6-1 stretch that has been compounded by injuries to cornerstone rookie Connor Bedard. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Sportsbooks have installed the Red Wings as –190 money-line favorites, with the total hovering at 6.5 goals. Head-to-head history • First meeting this season: Chicago 5, Detroit 1 on Nov. 9; Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi each posted three-point nights for the Blackhawks. • Series: Chicago leads 1-0; the clubs will not play again until March. Key storylines 1. Bedard sidelined: The NHL’s points leader (44) has been ruled out with an upper-body injury suffered Dec. 5, forcing Chicago coach Luke Richardson to juggle top-six roles and power-play units. Ryan Donato is expected to center the first line. 2. Larkin heating up: Detroit captain Dylan Larkin owns five goals in his past four contests and now paces the Wings with 17 on the year, giving coach Derek Lalonde a lethal 1-2 punch with Alex DeBrincat (34 points). 3. Special-teams gap: Detroit’s 23.0 percent power play ranks seventh league-wide, while Chicago’s penalty kill sits 29th at 74.0 percent. The Blackhawks are also 30th in power-play efficiency. 4. Goalie showdown: Veteran Cam Talbot (9-5-2, .885 SV%) is the projected starter for Detroit after John Gibson worked Thursday; Spencer Knight (.915 SV%) likely counters for Chicago, trying to rebound from three losses in his last four outings. What each team needs to do • Red Wings: Stay disciplined, dump pucks behind Chicago’s young defense and force turnovers that spring their transition game, where Lucas Raymond (23 assists) excels. • Blackhawks: Generate net-front traffic to neutralize Detroit’s size advantage and capitalize on 5-on-5 play, where they average virtually the same goals-for rate (2.94) as Detroit (3.06). Injury report Detroit: Mason Appleton (upper body) remains out until at least Dec. 16. Chicago: Bedard (upper body) and Laurent Brossoit (illness) are day-to-day; Shea Weber (LTIR) is out for the season. Stat to know The Red Wings are 10-1-0 this season when scoring first; Chicago is 2-8-1 when trailing after two periods. Bottom line With Bedard unavailable and Detroit’s top line surging, the Red Wings enter as deserved favorites. Yet rivalry games at the Madhouse rarely follow the script—expect an energized Blackhawks squad desperate to even the season series and spoil Detroit’s road finale.