GAME DAY: at Detroit
Jackets face Red Wings in first of home-and-home this week
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Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Detroit Red Wings 
WATCH: FOX Sports Ohio (HD) | LISTEN: 97.1 FM & BlueJackets.com
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GAME DAY ON THE ROAD presented by:
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| It’s not often the word “slump” finds its way into a sentence with “Detroit Red Wings,” but that is exactly what they are going through right now. Detroit has been stung by the injury bug throughout its lineup but none more glaring than between the pipes: both Jimmy Howard and backup Joey MacDonald are out due to minor injuries, forcing the Red Wings to recall Ty Conklin from Grand Rapids (AHL) via re-entry waivers and call up rookie goaltender Jordan Pearce from the Griffins, as well.
Conklin was fantastic in his first start back with the Red Wings, making several key saves and helping Detroit get to overtime against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Ryan Callahan’s game-winner was the difference, and at the time, it was the Red Wings’ sixth consecutive loss – by far their longest winless skid of the season. After a couple days off, they regrouped and rallied from a 4-1 deficit to stun the visiting Carolina Hurricanes, 5-4, at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday night to snap the drought. The Hurricanes could not hang on to a three-goal cushion after losing 5-1 to the Blue Jackets the night before. The last time the Blue Jackets and Red Wings met at Joe Louis Arena, Detroit was in the midst of a record-setting 23-game, four-month long home winning streak (eventually ended by the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 15). Columbus took two one-goal leads thanks to tallies by Ryan Russell and Nikita Nikitin, but the latter left the game due to injury and the Blue Jackets were down to five defensemen for the second half of the game. A four-round shootout eventually decided the game, and the winning goal came off the stick of Valtteri Filppula, who stepped up in the absence of Pavel Datsyuk. Detroit’s win over Carolina was also Nicklas Lidstrom’s first game back in the lineup, which is a good sign for the Red Wings who desperately need to get healthy. Unless Howard or MacDonald is deemed healthy to play, Conklin should start in goal tonight against the Blue Jackets.
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