GAME RUNDOWN
When the NHL schedule was released, it only seemed natural to pit the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings on a nationally televised game on a Wednesday night, which has been designated as the league’s “Rivalry Night” the past several seasons. With the teams not playing a riveting outdoor game this year, it only made sense, given their blood-stained history.
Instead, the league flexed the game out of the national spotlight as both teams are set to miss the playoffs this season. The play early on was a reminder of why that will be as neither team’s defense showed up.