The Detroit Red Wings knew that life without Nicklas Lidstrom would be difficult, but no one imagined the team would look so lost without its longtime captain and All-Star defenseman.
Detroit's season opener turned out to be a nightmarish 6-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues that almost indicated that this team was no longer in the same league as its division rivals. The team's offense which features such all-stars as Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk was ineffective and completely overwhelmed by St. Louis' tremendous defense which looked as potent as it did a year ago when St. Louis surrendered the fewest goals of the season.
Detroit's opponent on Monday started off the season in surprising fashion. The Columbus Blue Jackets ended the 2011-12 season as the worst team in the league. When the team shipped away its franchise player Rick Nash over the summer, many expected that Columbus would endure a harsh season in 2012-13. However, the team got off to an ideal start as it defeated the Nashville Predators 3-2 in the shootout. Columbus overcame two deficits in the game to prove that it was going to be a tough team to beat. The biggest surprise for the team was the strong play of newcomer Sergei Bobrovsky in goal. The 24-year old netminder stopped 32 of 34 shots and could provide this team with the goaltending it has lacked over the last few seasons.
Detroit won four of the six meetings last season.
Start Time: 7:30 PM EST
TV Info: NBC Sports Network