Wed Dec 26 10:56:10 2007

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Powerful Red Wings stop in St. Louis

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(Sports Network) - Even without their leading scorer, the Red Wings are tough to stop. Detroit will try to build on the league's best record tonight when it plays the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center.

Detroit continued a five-game road trip on Saturday and posted a 4-1 victory despite being without Henrik Zetterberg. Zetterberg is day-to-day due to back spasms and is second in the NHL in points (50) and is tied for second in goals (25).

Daniel Cleary posted a goal and an assist to lead the Red Wings over the weekend, while Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen and Tomas Kopecky all found the back of the net as well.

Tomas Holmstrom also missed the victory because of a knee injury and is questionable for tonight.

Dominik Hasek made 18 saves for the Red Wings, who have won 11 of their last 13 games and have a league-best 55 points. Nicklas Lidstrom tallied an assist to give him a helper in five straight. He has six overall in that span.

Detroit is 10-5-2 on the road this season and will also play in Colorado and Phoenix on its trek.

St. Louis handed Detroit a loss in the opener of the Red Wings road swing on December 20 and then beat Boston two days later before falling to Atlanta, 3-2, in overtime on Sunday.

In the extra session, Marian Hossa stripped Blues defenseman Jay McKee in the slot, made a few rapid stick moves to work himself free and then lifted a wrister past Manny Legace for the game-winner.

Keith Tkachuk picked up a goal and an assist for the Blues, who lost the first game of a three-game homestand. Barret Jackman scored his first of the season and Legace stopped 22 shots in the loss.

St. Louis has now dropped four of its last five at home (1-2-2) and are 11-5-2 overall as the host this season. The Blues conclude their short residency on Friday against San Jose.

St. Louis has won two of three against Detroit this year, with both wins coming on home ice. Overall, the Blues have won four straight against the Red Wings as the host.

The Blues have bested the Red Wings in six of the last 10 meetings overall, but Detroit has won nine of the last 15.