The Detroit Red Wings attempt to complete a sweep of their season series against the Colorado Avalanche when the clubs face off at the Pepsi Center on Friday. Detroit posted a pair of one-goal victories over Colorado at home, winning a 2-1 decision on March 5 before skating to a 3-2 triumph on Monday. The Red Wings suffered their third loss in four games Thursday as they fell 4-2 to the Coyotes in Phoenix.
Detroit enters Friday's matchup seventh in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the St. Louis Blues and two in front of both the Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets. The Avalanche are last in the league with 28 points thanks to a stretch during which they've lost six of seven games. After being edged by Detroit, Colorado dropped a 3-1 decision to the Predators in Nashville on Tuesday.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN (Detroit), Altitude (Colorado)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (18-14-5): Ravaged by injuries, Detroit got Henrik Zetterberg back in the lineup on Thursday. The captain, who recorded an assist, had missed the previous two games with a strained groin. Zetterberg was not pleased with his team's performance in the second period, when it allowed three goals while being outshot by a 20-5 margin. "That was a bad period for us," he said. "I think we started the game good. We did a lot of good things and then we turned the puck over a little too much in the second, and they took advantage of that."
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (12-20-4): Colorado was not very active leading into Wednesday's trade deadline as it only made a pair of minor deals. The Avalanche acquired center Tomas Vincour from the Dallas Stars for defenseman Cameron Gaunce on Tuesday, then dealt blue-liner Ryan O'Byrne to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft a day later. O'Byrne, who registered a goal and three assists in 34 games with Colorado, had nothing but kind words for his former club following the trade. "There are good, young players coming up there and I think they'll be a good team for years to come," he said.
OVERTIME
1. The Red Wings are 9-for-29 on the power play over their last eight road games after going 0-for-36 over their first 10 contests away from home.
2. Detroit has won 13 of its last 18 visits to Colorado.
3. The home team has won four of the last five games in the all-time series.
PREDICTION: Red Wings 3, Avalanche 2