[anrobins]

Detroit is on a roll right now. They play their last 15 mostly at home and against their division, with the only real competition there from Nashville. Do they have the right situation to get home ice throughout the playoffs? I think they're in good shape to win the west.

[blueandwhite]

...with the only real competition there from Nashville....

whoever would have thought we'd be reading that sentence back when someone said, "You know who needs a hockey team? Nashville. Stop laughing, you heard right-Nashville."

[pete_b]

I'm not even sure that you can call Nashville real competition. They don't have the firepower or the defense that Detroit has. Detroit has always been a fast team and with the new rules...Detroit rules. I'm sorry but the Wings are gonna run away with it.

[anrobins]

What I like about Detroit is they went into Vancouver and Edmonton recently and kicked butt against two teams that gave them problems early on. Even on an off-night like last night, they still earned a point in the standings. They have won cups in the past two Olympic years, and they are priming themselves for another run with Samuelson due back soon.

[Lefty Noob]

Well, if the Wings want to win the President's Trophy, they shouldn't be losing games to the Columbus Blue Jackets!

DETROIT (AP) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets took the hard way in becoming the first team to rally to victory in the third period against the Detroit Red Wings.

Jaroslav Balastik capped a comeback with the only goal of the shootout to give the Blue Jackets a 5-4 win over Detroit on Saturday night.

David Vyborny, Rostislav Klesla and Rick Nash each had a goal and an assist, and Manny Malhotra also tallied for Columbus, which scored four times in the third period after trailing 3-0. Ron Hainsey added two assists.

"To stop those three guys is a feat in itself," Blue Jackets coach Gerard Gallant said.

Pascal Leclaire, who also made 40 saves in regulation and overtime, turned aside Pavel Datsyuk, Jason Williams and Henrik Zetterberg in the tiebreaker.

Watch out... Detroit currently had 103 points, and Ottawa's only 1 point back. Barring an epic collapse, they should be able to hold off the Stars and take the top seed in the Western Conference, but the President's Trophy is looking like anything but a sure thing at this point.

[Lefty Noob]

A Detroit victory yesterday, as the Red Wings kicked off a four game in five night stretch with a 4-2 win over Nashville. They've not got 107 points, with Ottawa two points back, Dallas six behind and Carolina seven down. So which team ultimately winds up claiming the President's Trophy in 2005-06?

[Lefty Noob]

I believe Detroit has clinched the Presidents Trophy, have they not? They have 116 points, eight more than Ottawa and Carolina, and they've clinched the top seed in the Western Conference. Now, the real challenge begins - trying to win the Stanley Cup. As it stands right now, the Wings would be facing Edmonton. Definitely a winnable series there, right?

[blueandwhite]

Go Oilers!

[ThePundit]

Lefty's correct - Detroit won the President's Trophy.