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Red Wings play host to Blues

Wed 5th, March 2008

(Sports Network) - Detroit started March on a much better note than it ended February. The Red Wings will hope to continue that trend tonight, when they welcome the St. Louis Blues for a Central Division matchup at Joe Louis Arena.

Detroit lost its last four games in February and had dropped 10 of 11 to end the month. However, the Red Wings got back on the right track this past Sunday in Buffalo, as they posted a win in their first test of March.

Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula each had a goal and an assist, and Dominik Hasek stopped 22 shots as Detroit skated to the victory over the Sabres at HSBC Arena.

Dallas Drake and Kirk Maltby also tallied, and Niklas Kronvall added a pair of assists for the injury-depleted Red Wings, who have been without defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom (knee), Brian Rafalski (groin) and Chris Chelios (knee).

However, Detroit is beginning to get healthy and Rafalski is expected to return to the lineup tonight after missing the last eight games. Lidstrom, the Red Wings captain and perennial Norris Trophy candidate, could be back on the ice for Sunday's game against Nashville. Chelios is still sidelined indefinitely.

The Red Wings still lead the NHL with 92 points, but the recent funk has allowed the Dallas Stars to pull within five points of the Western Conference lead.

Tonight's test is the opener of a five-game homestand for the Red Wings, who are 21-8-2 as the host this season. However, Detroit has lost four straight in the Motor City.

St. Louis is kicking off its season-long, nine-game road trip tonight and is just 10-14-5 as the visiting team this season. The Blues have lost four straight and five of their last six road contests.

The Blues were able to snap a six-game losing streak their last time out, as St. Louis edged visiting Los Angeles, 3-2, on Tuesday. Ryan Johnson scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period to lift the Blues to the triumph at Scottrade Center.

Andy McDonald and Keith Tkachuk both scored for the Blues, who hadn't won since downing Chicago, 5-1, on February 19. Manny Legace stopped 30-of-32 shots to earn the win for St. Louis.

St. Louis has 68 points on the year and is eight points in back of Colorado and Nashville for the final playoff spots in the Western Conference.

The Blues have won three of the five meetings against Detroit this year and have taken five of seven and six of the last nine encounters between the clubs. However, St. Louis has dropped three of five and five of its previous eight stops in Motown.

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