Calvin Pickard will start in goal when the Avalanche face former rival Detroit at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday.
Here are the GAME NOTES.
Times sure have changed since these two staged so many memorable -- and bloody -- regular-season and playoff games, when one or the other could be counted on to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Red Wings (26-30-11) aren't even in the West anymore, and they are going to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1989-90, ending a remarkable 25-season run.
The Avalanche (19-46-3)? They've already been mathematically eliminated from postseason play for the third season in a row. They're missing the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years and for the eighth time in 11 years.
Check out Kris Draper's look back at THE RIVALRY and how it began.
Defenseman Anton Lindholm will make his NHL debut while paired with Francois Beauchemin.
Jimmy Howard is expected to start in goal for the Red Wings.
The Avalanche didn't have a morning skate. Here is the expected lineup:
FORWARDS Sven Andrighetto -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen Gabriel Landeskog -- Matt Duchene -- Rene Bourque John Mitchell -- J.T. Compher -- Blake Comeau Mikhail Grigorenko -- Carl Soderberg -- Matt Nieto
DEFENSE Mark Barberio -- Erik Johnson Fedor Tyutin -- Tyson Barrie Francois Beauchemin -- Anton Lindholm GOALIES Calvin Pickard Jeremy Smith