Blue Jackets go for season-high home win streak
The Detroit Red Wings failed to add to their slim lead for a wild-card spot in a pair of matchups with a former division rival. They'll try for better results against another such opponent and one of the Eastern Conference's lowlier teams.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, though, have dominated Detroit recently and will try for a season-high home win streak in their next matchup Tuesday night.
Detroit (32-22-11) was outscored by a combined 9-3 in back-to-back losses to Chicago, with the Red Wings' special teams faltering again in a 4-1 road defeat Sunday. Detroit allowed the Blackhawks go 2 for 3 with a man advantage for the second straight game and came up empty on its three power plays, giving it a 2-for-28 mark in the last nine contests.
"We got out-specialty teamed by a large amount tonight, so between our power play and penalty kill, they both have to be better for us to win on the road," said coach Jeff Blashill, whose club killed off 26 of 27 penalties in its final nine games last month. "We got to find a way to be better than we were on special teams."
Looking to improve in those areas, Blashill's team is entering an advantageous stretch of schedule. Detroit will face five opponents that are currently out of playoff position in its next six games, including two matchups with Columbus (27-31-8), which was blown out 6-0 in Philadelphia on Saturday.
"Top to bottom we didn't play well, not enough energy," center Brandon Dubinsky said. "We didn't have any answers. A lot of it was self-inflicted. ... A lot of things didn't go right tonight, but it's just one game. We have to find a way to put it behind us."
The Blue Jackets have won their last three on home ice by a 16-7 margin entering the opener of a five-game homestand. They've taken eight of the last 11 matchups with the Red Wings, though they fell 2-1 in a shootout at Detroit on Feb. 23 in the first meeting of the season.
Petr Mrazek, the winning goaltender in that game, tied his career high for goals allowed in a 5-2 home loss to Chicago on Wednesday and was pulled after giving up two goals on five shots Sunday.
Jimmy Howard will start Tuesday, and he might not have to face Columbus' leading goal scorer Brandon Saad, who suffered an upper-body injury in a 6-3 home win over Edmonton on Friday. Howard's two shutouts last season came in three matchups with the Blue Jackets.
Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk's status is unclear due to an illness that kept him out Sunday. He skated Monday.
"He's a big piece obviously. For sure it's tough to have him gone," Blashill said. "Hopefully, he'll be back on Tuesday."
Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray is also dealing with an illness but is slated to play against Detroit.
The teams wrap up their season series with another matchup at Nationwide Arena on March 17.
