The evening began on a high note as Henrik Zetterberg made his return to Little Caesars Arena.
It was only to drop a ceremonial puck, but it gave fans a chance to cheer Zetterberg for the first time since he announced his retirement in September.
The season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets, however, began on a low note as the Detroit Red Wings struggled through the first period Thursday. A couple young guys — Dennis Cholowski and Tyler Bertuzzi — scored in the second period, but the Wings stifled their own chances as they amassed six penalties in regulation.