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Red Wings look to end slide vs. Blue Jackets

Nov 18, 2007 - 2:08 PM Detroit (13-5-1) at Columbus (9-7-3) 5:00 pm EST

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) - The Detroit Red Wings just have to happy that they are not playing the Chicago Blackhawks.

Henrik Zetterberg will try to help the Red Wings snap a season-high three-game losing streak when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Detroit is coming off another disappointing loss to Chicago. The Red Wings held a 3-2 advantage coming into the third, but then Patrick Sharp responded with a natural hat trick in the final session to lift the Blackhawks to a 5-3 victory Saturday night.

Chicago also defeated Detriot, 3-2, last Sunday, ending the Red Wings' nine-game winning streak. The Blackhawks have bested the Red Wings in all four meetings this season, and Detroit holds a 13-2-0 record against the rest of the NHL.

Zetterberg has led the Red Wings this season, registering a point in 18 of their 19 games. The 27-year-old Swede has tallied 14 goals and 15 assists on the campaign.

The Blue Jackets have really started to struggle after their surprsingly good start, losing five of their previous six contests.

After notching five shutouts in his first nine starts, Pascal Leclaire has relinquished nine goals in his last three games - losing two. The first-round pick (eighth overall) in the 2001 draft is still putting together quite the season, though, going 8-4-0 with a 1.59 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

Columbus' biggest problem has been on the offensive end. Rick Nash has been the main source of offense, scoring 13 goals on the season, while no other player on the squad has more than five. No Blue Jacket has more than eight assists, either.