… Tonight is the first of five games against the Blue Jackets in this shortened season.
… The Jackets are 1-0-0, having kicked off the season with a 3-2 shootout win in Nashville on Saturday.
… NBC Sports has picked up this game, because they know what a national viewing audience wants.
… It looks like Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start for the Jackets.
… The Jackets will go with the same lineup they used Saturday. Aaron Portzline has the scratches listed here.
… The Wings blew their first game badly, notching a 6-0 loss to their belt.
… They’re already down a few guys to injury and sickness, starting with Todd Bertuzzi and his bout of mono.
… Jonathan Ericsson is a game-time decision with a sore shoulder. He’d be replaced by Brian Lashoff, because apparently even a mostly-recovered Jakub Kindl isn’t preferable to a guy who probably maxed out in the AHL.
… Jan Mursak will be out a few weeks with a shoulder/collarbone injury courtesy of David Backes. Patrick Eaves will take his spot in the lineup and will see his first meaningful ice time since November 2011.
… Darren Helm is out of the lineup as well, with a sore back. Eaves is technically in because of that, too.
… Jonas Gustavsson is out with a sore groin and will be replaced on the bench by Thomas McCollum. Jimmy Howard gets the start.
… Ansar Khan has the lines used in practice here.
… So yeah, obviously, the Wings would do well to win tonight. A shortened season means a smaller margin for error. Here’s hoping the defense makes a 180 and let’s just go ahead and hope that for the offense too.