PREVIEW: Red Wings continue preseason schedule Thursday against visiting Maple Leafs

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings will begin a stretch of three preseason games in three days, first welcoming the Original Six-rival Toronto Maple Leafs to Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night.

Following Thursday’s 7 p.m. puck drop (broadcast coverage on Bally Sports Detroit and 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit), Detroit will host the Ottawa Senators on Friday before wrapping up its eight-game exhibition slate in Toronto on Saturday.

The Red Wings return home after goalie Ville Husso’s 43-save night helped the club defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1, at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.

“We talk about [goaltending battle] being a blank slate, and you want to execute and perform,” Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said. “[On Tuesday], Ville Husso played at an extremely high level. Obviously it’s just one game, but all of our goalies have shown very well in camp. This is why these guys are getting reps and opportunities. They’ll get more opportunity. We have three more games to let this play out.”

Detroit reduced its expanded Training Camp roster to 55 players on Wednesday. Austin Watson, a 32-year-old forward who is in camp on a professional tryout contract, is among those looking to prove they belong in the NHL.

Watson earned a contract while on a PTO with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, finishing with four points (two goals, two assists) in 33 games. He said he believes his style of play would serve the Red Wings well.

“Having played against this group for a while in Ottawa, you saw the core group of guys, the high-end talent, the young guys coming up and this team just getting better and better,” Watson said. “For me, being able to bring that element of physicality, jam, being hard to play against, sticking up for guys when that’s necessary, I thought that could be a good fit for both sides.”

Watson was selected by the Nashville Predators with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., Watson has collected 118 points (60 goals, 58 assists) in 515 career games with the Predators, Ottawa Senators and Lightning since the 2012-13 season.

“Talked to the Cat a little bit, talked to Larks,” Watson said. “I have an idea of what I can potentially bring to the team and hopefully make an impact, and you ask guys if that’s something the team could use and is there a fit. It’s been great so far, so just looking forward to keeping the preseason going.”

Lalonde has been impressed with Watson in Training Camp so far.

“We expect the hard from him,” Lalonde said about Watson. “We expect him to win battles, wall battles. But one important viewing for us was he’s got to be able to help us 5-on-5. Through two games so far, he’s done that well.”