Red Wings at Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets opened their seven-game homestand with a thud, earning a tongue lashing by coach John Tortorella after falling for the ninth time in 16 contests since posting a franchise-best 16-game winning streak. The Blue Jackets will look for more enthusiasm and a far better result on Saturday when they host the Detroit Red Wings.
"There was zero emotion within the game, and for what reason I don't know," Tortorella told Columbus Dispatch after Thursday's 3-0 setback to Vancouver. "Nothing happens right if you don't play with emotion. We've got to get that figured out." Former Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky owns a less-than-stellar .896 save percentage in 11 starts since the winning streak ended, but won both encounters with Detroit this season to improve his career mark versus the club to 8-4-1 with a 1.99 goals-against average and .937 save percentage. Veteran Thomas Vanek, who has four points (one goal, three assists) in his last four games, set up a goal in Detroit's 4-1 setback to Columbus on Dec. 9 and added his team-leading 13th tally in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (22-22-10): Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson will be sidelined for up to 12 weeks after sustaining a broken wrist following a hit by forward Nicklas Backstrom in Thursday's 6-3 setback to Washington. "It's a big loss. (Ericsson) means a lot to this team, a lot more I think than people give him credit for," fellow blue-liner Niklas Kronwall said. Speaking of Kronwall (knee), both he and Frans Nielsen (shoulder) are expected to return to action on Saturday, according to coach Jeff Blashill. Detroit also recalled veteran goaltender Jimmy Howard from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League on Friday following a two-game conditioning stint.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (34-14-5): Cam Atkinson is in the midst of a career season and likely would get no argument from the Red Wings, against whom he has two goals and an assist. The 27-year-old Atkinson has eight goals and 10 points in his last 10 contests overall to increase his team-leading totals to 26 and 48, respectively, one tally and five points shy of his respective career-high totals last season. Linemate Brandon Dubinsky scored a goal and set up two others in Tuesday's game versus the Red Wings, giving him nine points in his last 11 contests.
OVERTIME
1. Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg has exited the All-Star break with a flourish, collecting three goals and three assists in five games to raise his team-leading point total to 39.
2. Blue Jackets veteran LW Scott Hartnell has been held off the scoresheet in all four games in February and both encounters versus the Red Wings this season.
3. Mike Ilitch, the longtime owner of the Red Wings and Detroit Tigers, died Friday at age 87.