Avalanche at Red Wings
THE STORY: While their NHL-record home winning streak is over, the Detroit Red Wings still have a home point streak to defend when they host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. Detroit had its run of 23 straight home wins end with a shootout loss to league-leading Vancouver on Thursday. But the Red Wings still haven't gone without a point at Joe Louis Arena since dropping a 4-1 decision to Calgary on Nov. 3. They are, however, 0-1-1 without All-Star Pavel Datsyuk, who is expected to miss two to three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday. Colorado has won two straight, outscoring its opponents 9-1 in the process.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), FSN (Detroit)
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (31-27-4): After being kept off the scoresheet in his debut with Colorado on Wednesday, Steve Downie notched a goal and an assist in Friday's victory at Columbus. Downie was acquired from Tampa Bay in a three-team trade that also saw Detroit obtain defenseman Kyle Quincey. David Jones continued his offensive surge Friday with two goals and an assist. Jones has collected five tallies and 11 points over his last nine contests. Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves en route to his career-high third shutout of the season. Varlamov has allowed fewer than two goals in three of his last four starts.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (41-18-3): Kyle Quincey began his second stint with Detroit in impressive fashion, recording one goal on four shots, a plus-1 rating, three hits and two blocked shots in the shootout loss to Vancouver. The defenseman, who played with the Red Wings from 2005-08, was re-acquired Tuesday from Tampa Bay in a three-team trade that also involved Colorado. Quincey registered five goals and 18 assists in 54 games with the Avalanche prior to the deal. Patrick Eaves remains sidelined with concussion-like symptoms and may not return this season. Eaves has been out since suffering a broken jaw on Nov. 26 against Nashville. "Symptoms kind of come and go," Eaves said. "It's a slow process. I have (a headache) every day and it just depends how bad it is."
OVERTIME:
1. The Red Wings have failed to earn at least one point at home only twice this season (26-2-2).
2. Colorado has lost 11 of its last 16 visits to Detroit and 23 of 33 overall against the Red Wings.