• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Red Wings aim to wrap road trip perfect in Winnipeg

Nov 4, 2013 - 3:13 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Detroit Red Wings have built momentum during a four- game road trip and Mike Babcock's club will try to close their swing on a positive note when they visit the struggling Winnipeg Jets in Monday's clash at MTS Centre.

The Red Wings were mired in an 0-2-2 slump when it hit the road last week. Detroit began the swing with a win in Vancouver to halt its four-game slide and then notched victories in Calgary and Edmonton to improve its road record this season to 6-2-0.

After posting a 4-3 regulation win against the Flames on Friday, the Red Wings breezed to a 5-0 triumph the following night in Edmonton. Petr Mrazek earned his first NHL shutout and Detroit continued its mastery of the Oilers.

Mrazek, in his third NHL game and first this season, faced only 14 shots and the Red Wings received goals from five different players to earn at least a point against the Oilers for the 14th straight game (12-0-2).

They are 8-0-5 in Edmonton since their last regulation loss in the city on Oct. 21, 2006. The Red Wings received goals from Darren Helm, Tomas Tatar, Jakub Kindl, Joakim Andersson and Todd Bertuzzi in Saturday's rout.

"I thought we were professional. I thought we played real well here today," said Babcock.

Detroit forward Johan Franzen sat out Saturday's game with flu-like symptoms and is questionable for Monday. Franzen missed Wednesday's game in Vancouver with an upper-body injury and returned to action Friday against Calgary before leaving the game in the first period with an illness.

Following the completion of their road trip on Monday, the Red Wings will return home for a four-game stay at Joe Louis Arena. The homestand is set to begin Thursday evening against Dallas.

The Jets enter Monday on a down note, having lost three straight in regulation to give them a 1-4-2 record over the past seven games.

Winnipeg's most recent outing ended in a rout, as Chicago overcame an early 1-0 deficit to record a 5-1 road victory at MTS Centre. The Blackhawks scored five unanswered goals, including three in a 4:55 span early in the second period to chase Winnipeg starting goaltender Ondrej Pavelec.

Tobias Enstrom had the lone goal for the Jets, who fell to 3-5-1 on home ice this season. Al Montoya stopped 10 shots in relief of Pavelec, who left the game after yielding four goals on 14 shots.

"We said in the room (after the second period) we have to go after them and don't quit, but they didn't give up much," Jets forward Michael Frolik said.

Monday's game marks the first time the Jets are hosting the Red Wings since the franchise relocated from Atlanta to Winnipeg prior to the 2011-12 campaign. Detroit posted a 7-1 home win over the Jets on Dec. 10, 2011 in the only game between the teams since the move.

The Red Wings have won three of the last five meetings against the franchise formerly known as the Atlanta Thrashers and Detroit holds a 10-4-0 record over the 14 all-time matchups in this series.