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Red Wings-Blackhawks Preview

Oct 9, 2010 - 4:15 AM By ANDY LEFKOWITZ STATS Editor

Detroit (0-0-0) at Chicago (0-0-1), 8:30 p.m. EDT

After nearly half a century, the Chicago Blackhawks will finally raise a Stanley Cup banner. The Detroit Red Wings want to crash their archrival's party, and deliver a not-so-subtle reminder that they'll be looking for a fifth championship since 1997.

Before what's expected to be an even more raucous crowd than usual, the new-look Blackhawks open their home schedule Saturday night against the Red Wings, who may have the pieces to make another title run in the spring.

When Chicago hits the United Center ice, the core led by Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews will be back, but fans will see a far different look than the team that defeated Philadelphia in six games in June to win the franchise's first Cup since beating Detroit in 1961.

Many moves were made to pare payroll and get under the salary cap. Among them, Antti Niemi - a backup goaltender at the start of last season - signed with San Jose after the Blackhawks walked away from a salary arbitrator's $2.75 million award, Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd are among four ex-Blackhawks playing for Atlanta, and 20-goal scorer Kris Versteeg was shipped to Toronto.

While keeping an eye on the bottom line, the Blackhawks' most recognizable new face is former Dallas netminder Marty Turco, a 262-game winner coming into 2010-11 who costs less than half as much as Niemi.

In spite of the cap casualties, Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith said the Blackhawks want to prove they can win year in and year out - like the Red Wings have done.

"That's the goal in our organization," said Keith, who led Chicago with six assists and eight points in six games versus the Red Wings last season. "Detroit would be the best example. Over the last 10 years, they've been a solid team and you could make a legitimate case that they would be Cup contenders every year. That's what we want to be like. We don't want to be a one-year team and that's it."

Detroit had won eight consecutive Central Division titles before finishing second to the Blackhawks last season. And even though the Red Wings' average age is now a league-high 31, they're confident about being in the postseason for a 20th consecutive year next spring.

"We know we're capable of doing it," said 40-year-old captain Nicklas Lidstrom. "It's just a matter of doing it now."

Chicago, which had one of the best home records last season at 29-8-4, began its title defense with a 4-3 overtime loss on Thursday in Colorado. Cup holdovers Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp each had a goal and assist, and Turco made 37 saves in his debut.

"Played very well. Made several key saves," coach Joel Quenneville said. "He was big."

Turco is 6-12-0 with five ties in his career versus Detroit. Five of those wins, however, have come in his last eight starts.

Detroit kicked off its season by dominating Anaheim 4-0 on Friday. Mike Modano, the all-time leading scorer among U.S.-born players, beat Jonas Hiller on his first shot in his first game with the Red Wings.

"You love to get that first one out of the way first game," said Modano, a Michigan native and former teammate of Turco with the Stars. "Then, you can relax and kind of get into your little comfort zone and get into the flow of the games and the season."

Now in his 21st season, Modano has 558 goals and 1,360 points. He's also averaged nearly a point per game in his career versus Chicago.

Jimmy Howard posted his fourth career shutout in the opener, but may find it difficult to duplicate that feat. No goaltender recorded a shutout in Chicago last season, and no Red Wing has done so in the Windy City since Dominik Hasek on Dec. 23, 2001.

The Red Wings will be without defenseman Jonathan Ericsson for at least one game due to back spasms.

Detroit was 3-2-1 versus the Blackhawks last season with two wins coming in Chicago.