Columbus at Detroit

Detroit has several injuries and will start some rookie defensemen, which is not promising for a team that had big problems defensively last season. The Red Wings lost an NHL-high 27 one-goal games mainly due to blown leads. Trevor Daley is probable tonight, but Jonathan Ericsson and Mike Green are out and Jimmy Howard will be in net after finishing the 2017-18 season with a 2.85 goals-against average. Columbus is optimistic this year after making the playoffs two years in a row for the first time in franchise history and the Blue Jackets dodged a bullet as goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Artemi Panarin are still there after trade rumors as they enter the final season of their contracts. Joonis Korpisalo will start in goal tonight after 18 appearances in 2017-18. The Blue Jackets won eight of their last 11 road games while the Wings lost 13 of their last 19 home contests last season. Detroit has lost 42 of its last 62 games and 53 of its last 78 versus Eastern Conference teams. Take the Blue Jackets.