It hasn't been as lopsided as Ohio State versus Michigan in football as of late, but it's been pretty close.
After a decade of being dominated by Detroit, the Columbus Blue Jackets have been taking the Red Wings to the woodshed the past few seasons. The Jackets have won 12 of the last 16 games against Detroit, dating back to December of 2014.
Even though the Jackets haven't had the playoff success as the Red Wings did, they have certainly become the older brother in the rivalry relationship, even if it's only been very recently. It's okay to celebrate stuff like this.
The Jackets face off with the Red Wings tonight for the third time already this season, concluding the season series that is currently split.
PROJECTED LINES
Panarin – Dubois – Atkinson
Foligno – Jenner – Anderson
Dubinsky – Wennberg – Duclair
Sedlak – Nash – Hannikainen
DEFENSEMEN
Werenski – Jones
Murray – Nutivaara
Harrington – Savard
GOALTENDER
Bobrovsky
STORYLINES
- Between Nov. 6 and Nov. 21, the Red Wings had won six out of seven games. They have dropped their past two games, both against top-tier Eastern Conference teams in the Buffalo Sabres and the Washington Capitals. After a slow start, the Red Wings are looking...very decent. They lost their first seven games to start the season, and nine of their first ten. Since then, they've gone 9-3-0-1.
- Sergei Bobrovsky has been scaling hot as of late, and is forming back into his usual self that the Blue Jackets have (sometimes too much) depended on to keep them in games. In his last six games, he's recorded five wins and a .950 save percentage. He's also saved 170 of 179 shots in that span and had four one-goal-allowed games.
- Artemi Panarin has now gone scoreless in *eyes widden* twelve straight games. Yes, he has recorded eight assists during that time, but the 'Bread Man' has got to keep scoring for the Jackets to continue to climb the ladder as an elite club. Panarin reportedly wants big money next summer, but scoring lapses like this aren't necessarily helping his case.
