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Red-hot Red Wings face Blue Jackets

Nov 9, 2007 - 3:05 PM Columbus (8-4-2) at Detroit (12-2-1) 7:30 pm EST

DETROIT (Ticker) - The Detroit Red Wings look to extend their win streak to nine when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.

The Red Wings continued their streak on Wednesday, holding off the Nashville Predators for a 3-2 win on the strength of shootout goals from Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.

Zetterberg, who also had an assist in the contest, has notched a point in 15-straight games.

The left wing leads the league with 24 points this season. The 27-year-old also is second in the NHL with 12 goals and is well on pace to surpass his 68 point total from last season, when he missed the last 19 games with an inflamed disc in his back.

The Red Wings won't have an easy time getting past the Blue Jackets, who trail the Western Conference leaders by just five points in the Central Division.

The Blue Jackets success can be attributed to solid defense, which is allowing a league-best 1.62 goals a game and kills 94 percent of penalties.

Columbus goaltender Pascal Leclaire has anchored the defense, ranking first in the NHL with a 1.12 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage.

Leclaire, who is 7-2-0 after appearing in just 24 games for the Blue Jackets in 2006-07, already has surpassed his win total from last season after shutting out the St. Louis Blues, 3-0, in his last start on Sunday.