Columbus Blue Jackets (33-33-6, sixth in the Metropolitan) vs. Detroit Red Wings (28-34-9, fifth in the Atlantic)
Detroit; Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets after Sam Gagner scored two goals in the Red Wings' 3-1 win over the Jets.
The Red Wings are 18-17-4 in Eastern Conference games. Detroit averages 9.2 penalty minutes per game, the seventh-most in the Eastern Conference. Givani Smith leads the team serving 108 total minutes.
The Blue Jackets are 18-24-2 in Eastern Conference play. Columbus has scored 226 goals and ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference averaging 3.1 goals per game. Patrik Laine leads the team with 25.
In their last matchup on Nov. 15, Columbus won 5-3. Yegor Chinakhov recorded a team-high 2 points for the Blue Jackets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings with 67 points, scoring 30 goals and adding 37 assists. Jakub Vrana has five goals and four assists over the last 10 games for Detroit.
Jakub Voracek leads the Blue Jackets with 46 total assists and has 51 points. Gustav Nyquist has 6 points over the last 10 games for Columbus.
LAST 10 GAMES: Red Wings: 3-5-2, averaging 2.9 goals, five assists, 3.8 penalties and 9.5 penalty minutes while giving up four goals per game with an .887 save percentage.
Blue Jackets: 2-5-3, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.6 assists, 3.7 penalties and 8.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game with an .899 save percentage.
INJURIES: Red Wings: Givani Smith: out (undisclosed).
Blue Jackets: Joonas Korpisalo: out for season (hip), Yegor Chinakhov: day to day (upper-body).
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