03/26/12. 2011/12: 76. Blue Jackets@ Wings. 7:30 pm FSND, 1270 AM

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 07:15 PM

A Chance To Vault Back Into Playoff Home-Ice Position

Presents the following thread:

(24-44-7=55)

AT

(45-25-5=95)

This game is a presentation of:

Game 76
Location: Joe Louis Arena
Date: Monday, March 26th, 2012
Time: 7:30pm EST
Teams: Columbus Blue Jackets (Central) at Detroit Red Wings (Central)

Television Broadcast Provided by:

Fox Sports Detroit

Radio Broadcast Provided by:

WXYT 1270 AM FM

NHL.com Game Preview

Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings Game Preview - 03/26/2012

Last 10: Columbus 3-7-0; Detroit 2-6-2.

Season Series: Detroit has won three of its four meetings with Columbus this season, including the most recent game between the two, a 5-2 Wings victory on Feb. 28 at Nationwide Arena.

Big Story: After a brief resurgence, the Blue Jackets are struggling once again, and as they look to play spoiler they'll face another team that has played below expectations lately in the Red Wings. With a 21st consecutive postseason appearance on the horizon, Detroit needs to get its house in order before the Stanley Cup playoffs get underway.

Team Scope:

Blue Jackets: To say it has been a long season in Columbus would be putting it mildly, and to the surprise of few after such a difficult first half of a season, the Jackets have been relegated to playing spoiler as the season hits its final 12 days. Columbus had actually begun to play well as the season hit March, winning its first four games of the month, but that brief winning streak has been followed by a rough stretch in which the Jackets have gone 2-7-0.

To make things even more difficult for the Jackets as they head to Detroit, Columbus is playing the second half of a back-to-back Monday night. The Jackets were unable to build on a 5-1 win over the Hurricanes Friday night, falling to the Oilers Sunday at Nationwide Arena, 6-3.

Red Wings: For much of this season Detroit has been in the battle for the top spot in the Western Conference, but injuries and inopportune slumps have come at just the wrong time for the Red Wings. Detroit's 5-4 win over Carolina Saturday was its first in seven games, and the Wings' 0-4-2 mark in the six games before it has now put them significantly off the pace as they trail first-place St. Louis by six points.

As a result, any hopes of a Central Division title are all but gone now and the focus now must be on maintaining home ice during the first round of the playoffs. Detroit's record is markedly better at Joe Louis Arena than it is elsewhere, and with Nashville and Chicago right in the mix for the West's fourth seed, the Wings will be in a dog fight to keep themselves on solid footing once the playoffs begin.

Who's Hot: R.J. Umberger and Derick Brassard both have four points in their last two games for Columbus. ... Jiri Hudler is coming off a three-point game for the Wings against Carolina. He has four points in his last three games.

Injury Report: The Blue Jackets could be without James Wisniewski (concussion-like symptoms) and Derek MacKenzie (concussion), who both missed Sunday's game against Edmonton. Ty Conklin could be getting another shot in net for Detroit as goalies Jimmy Howard (strained groin) and Joey MacDonald (back spasms) are likely and questionable to miss Monday's game, respectively. The Wings also recently lost Darren Helm (sprained knee ligament) for 4-6 weeks while Johan Franzen is out indefinitely with back spasms.

Stat Pack: Depending on your perspective, it might be better to finish sixth in the West and face the weakest division winner than get caught in the 4 vs. 5 matchup in the middle of the postseason field. Detroit, however, might take issue with that. The Wings would benefit hugely by grabbing the fourth seed and taking home ice into the first round as they are almost unbeatable at the Joe, going 29-5-2 at home this season. On the road it's a far different story. The Wings are just 16-20-3 away from Detroit this season.

Puck Drop: With so few games left to play, Columbus' fate is sealed for the 2011-12 season, but it doesn't mean the Blue Jackets can't make an impact. With the Wings slumping as they are, there is a very real chance for the Jackets not to push Detroit out of the playoffs altogether, but to certainly put Detroit in an uncomfortable one when the playoffs start. For Detroit, however, this could be a solid opportunity to get its house in order against a team with nothing left to play for -- and the Wings will get two shots at it. Detroit and Columbus face off again Wednesday night.

**hail2mich** · 03-26-2012, 07:18 PM

Wings can clinch a playoff berth with a win tonight.

jz · 03-26-2012, 07:42 PM

Homer!! Great pass from Zetterberg to the wide (and I mean wide) open guy.

**hail2mich** · 03-26-2012, 07:42 PM

Nice PP goal to start out. 1-0 Wings after a Holmstrom goal

jz · 03-26-2012, 07:49 PM

Nyquill!!! Awesome pass from Dats.

2-0 good guys

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 07:49 PM

Nyquist's 1st NHL goal!

**hail2mich** · 03-26-2012, 07:49 PM

Datsyuk. WOW. Nyquist with his first career goal!

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 07:50 PM

Columbus-Detroit or Carolina-Detroit would be an ideal 1st round playoff matchup.

jz · 03-26-2012, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by lordstanley

Columbus-Detroit or Carolina-Detroit would be an ideal 1st round playoff matchup.

I think Detroit should tank it so they fall to the 6 seed and play Dallas in the first round. Let Chicago take on Nashville.

jz · 03-26-2012, 07:55 PM

It's going to be hilarious if Homer is the man to get us free curly fries.

3-0 Wings

jz · 03-26-2012, 07:57 PM

You get a goal and you get a goal and you get a goal and you get a goal.

4-0 Wings

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 07:57 PM

The Wings are scoring faster than we can type.

**hail2mich** · 03-26-2012, 07:57 PM

An effective powerplay! What fun!

And Hudler makes it 4-0!!

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 07:58 PM

Don't Stop Believin' in the 1st period? Is that new?

jz · 03-26-2012, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by lordstanley

Don't Stop Believin' in the 1st period? Is that new?

I can't recall ever hearing it before the latter parts of the 3rd. Watch it jinx them now.

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by jz

I think Detroit should tank it so they fall to the 6 seed and play Dallas in the first round. Let Chicago take on Nashville.

First, I'm not scared of Nashville. They're suddenly a darling choice for no good reason. I just don't see them stepping up their game in the playoffs like Detroit and Vancouver can. What you see is what you get with Nashville.

Second, we have to look beyond the 1st round. I want as high of a seed as possible, we don't know which upsets will lead to which 2nd round matchups.

jz · 03-26-2012, 08:27 PM

They're not a darling choice, they're a damn good team. I just hope the Wings don't underestimate them in the playoffs as much as you seem to be doing.

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 09:01 PM

6-0. I guess this is what is referred to as a confidence game.

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by jz

They're not a darling choice, they're a damn good team. I just hope the Wings don't underestimate them in the playoffs as much as you seem to be doing.

They're a damn good team. And they'd be the Wings' toughest 1st round opponent in years. But my goal is for the Wings to win the Stanley Cup. There are 5 teams that I think have a better chance of blocking the Wings' chances of doing so than Nashville - Vancouver, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Rangers, Boston. Maybe even San Jose.

**Detroit Rock City** · 03-26-2012, 09:09 PM

I would agree with Stanley here. Those 5, especially the Blues (due to many problems they create) would be very difficult matchups for the Wings. The Preds don't have the scoring punch those teams have and have a weaker goalie in my opinion.

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 09:23 PM

One period to go. Don't get hurt.

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 09:31 PM

Another wide open net - Datsyuk adds the extra point. Shutout gone though.

**dadair6** · 03-26-2012, 09:48 PM

Beautiful shot by Nash. 7-2 with nine minutes to play.

**lordstanley** · 03-26-2012, 11:11 PM

Wings win, 97 pts, 5th in the NHL. I know, meaningless when it comes to the playoffs, but I want a top 5 finish.

**Dawgs** · 03-27-2012, 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by lordstanley

First, I'm not scared of Nashville. They're suddenly a darling choice for no good reason. I just don't see them stepping up their game in the playoffs like Detroit and Vancouver can. What you see is what you get with Nashville.

Second, we have to look beyond the 1st round. I want as high of a seed as possible, we don't know which upsets will lead to which 2nd round matchups.

Im not worried about any opponent we face as long as were getting solid goaltending. No team in the league can match our depth especially on the blueline.

**Dawgs** · 03-27-2012, 06:29 AM

This two game interlude with Columbus comes at a good time for Detroit. With the rousing comeback victory over Carolina, an overpowering sweep of the Jackets, gets us rolling a bit.

Sloppy, ugly third period last night though. Early blowouts kill work ethic and can lead to bad habits. But since weve been nothing but bad habits lately maybe it wont work out this way.

Nice to see a dangerous PP for a change. Well need it if we want to go deep. Still an effective Howard is the key to our playoff hopes imo.

**Dawgs** · 03-27-2012, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by Detroit Rock City

I would agree with Stanley here. Those 5, especially the Blues (due to many problems they create) would be very difficult matchups for the Wings. The Preds don't have the scoring punch those teams have and have a weaker goalie in my opinion.

IMO St. Louis is a product of Hitchcocks system. Theyve had a great year but I fully expect a playoff flameout.

**Shinma** · 03-27-2012, 10:00 AM

Amazing. 21 playoff years in a row, and counting.

I wish I had the time to hang out with you guys here and enjoy it more... =\

Thanks LS for picking up the slack.

**John_Brian_K** · 03-27-2012, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by dadair6

Beautiful shot by Nash. 7-2 with nine minutes to play.

That shot by Nash was sick.

**John_Brian_K** · 03-27-2012, 10:08 AM

So can someone give me a cliff notes of what happened the last 2 weeks or so. The last I really looked we were in first place in the entire league with points and now we are struggling to make a 4th spot? What happened? I know we went like 3-9 or something stupid and I know about the injuries, but was it something else or simply the injuries?

**lesgoblu02** · 03-27-2012, 10:14 AM

Datsyuk missed two weeks.
Lidstrom missed 3 weeks.
Franzen has been in and out (mostly out) over the last 3 weeks.
Helm is out
Howard has played 3 or 4 games over the last 4 weeks
McDonald has been out the last week or so
Bertuzzi missed 4 or 5 games
Ericsson has been out a month

Those are huge names to be missing and there are few teams, if any, that could weather that kind of attrition. One thing people don't consider re: injuries. Not only are those guys all out, but their minutes are being taken by guys normally on the 3rd or 4th lines. Those guys are 3rd/4th liners for a reason. And when they are needed to play 1st/2nd line minutes, it's going to show in a team's performance.