Red Wings D Lidstrom leaves game

Feb 19, 2008 - 4:57 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- The Detroit Red Wings ended their six-game winless slide, but may have suffered a more significant loss.

Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom left Monday night's contest against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period with a right knee injury.

The defenseman did not return but Detroit coach Mike Babcock did not think the injury was too serious.

"He's going to be fine," he said. "It didn't sound like it was anything major and we needed to freshen him up a little bit. He'll probably end up with a few days off."

Lidstrom sustained the injury when Avalanche right wing Ian Laperriere delivered a body check to the 37-year-old Swede into the boards near Colorado's bench. Lidstrom got up slowly after the hit, favoring his right leg and obviously disoriented.

"I hope Lidstrom is not hurt," Laperriere said. "I don't think the hit was illegal. Everybody saw it. The referees saw and they didn't think it was illegal. I play hard and clean."

A three-time Stanley Cup champion and five-time Norris Trophy recipient, Lidstrom has seven goals and 50 assists with an NHL-best plus-39 rating on the campaign.

A third-round pick (53rd overall) in 1989, Lidstrom has spent his entire 15-year NHL career with Detroit, recording 209 tallies and 925 points in 1,237 games.