Blue Jackets at Red Wings
The surging Columbus Blue Jackets attempt to extend their season-high winning streak to seven games when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. Sergei Bobrovsky has been in net for each victory during the stretch, registering a .943 save percentage and a 1.91 goals-against average. The former Vezina Trophy winner made 33 saves and Nick Foligno scored his third goal in two contests as the Blue Jackets skated to a 4-3 shootout victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday.
While Columbus is riding high, Detroit suffered its third straight setback (0-1-2) with a 4-1 loss to Toronto on Saturday. Jimmy Howard sat out that game but turned aside all 28 shots in a 5-0 rout of the Blue Jackets on Nov. 18. The Red Wings are opening a four-game stretch at Joe Louis Arena, where they have posted an 11-3-4 mark this season.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (12-15-2): Defenseman Fedor Tyutin participated in Monday's practice and could make his return after being sidelined since mid-November with a lower-body injury. Columbus only can hope that Tyutin's potential return follows in the footsteps of that of Brandon Dubinsky, who has notched an assist in two of three games since making his season debut following abdominal surgery. Dubinsky has recorded eight points (three goals, five assists) in eight career games versus Detroit.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (17-7-7): Defenseman Niklas Kronwall scored his team's lone goal on Saturday and Detroit has mustered just four tallies during its last three contests. Justin Abdelkader and blue-liner Danny DeKeyser are expected to return from upper-body injuries while Tomas Tatar and Johan Franzen also are in line to play despite being plagued by the flu - not mumps. The team is in the process of making booster shots available to players and team personnel in the wake of the outbreak that has swept through the league's locker rooms.
OVERTIME
1. Detroit is 3-for-6 on the power play in its last two contests after going 0-for-10 in the previous three.
2. Columbus RW Cam Atkinson has scored just one goal in his last 12 games.
3. Red Wings C Stephen Weiss is expected to miss the contest due to a shoulder injury.