Riding a four-game winning streak, the Detroit Red Wings come into this week looking to chase down the division-leading Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago has 25 points on the season, while Detroit sits six points back tied for second with Nashville with 19 points. St. Louis is two behind both teams at 17, making the middle of the division a jumbled mess.
The Red Wings will have a chance to gain some separation Tuesday night when they travel to St. Louis to face the Blues. This is the first game with St. Louis this season for Detroit. The week then continues on Thursday night as the Wings head west for three straight games in California. Detroit faces the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, followed by a game at the Los Angeles Kings on Friday and the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
Detroit should gain some confidence on the West Coast swing. Los Angeles, San Jose, and Anaheim are the bottom three teams in the Pacific Division.