Red Wings to Open Playoffs Thursday Against Blue Jackets

The Detroit Red Wings will begin their 2009 Stanley Cup Playoff run on Thursday, April 16, the team announced Sunday. They will host the Columbus Blue Jackets in a best-of-seven Western Conference Quarterfinal matchup.

The Blue Jackets finished the season as the conference’s seventh seed, a position not finalized until the St. Louis Blues defeated the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

The second-seeded Red Wings were 3-2-1 against Columbus this season.

The schedule for the series is as follows:

Game 1 – April 16 – @ Detroit – 7:00 PM
Game 2 – April 18 – @ Detroit – 6:00 PM
Game 3 – April 21 – @ Columbus – 7:00 PM
Game 4 – April 23 – @ Columbus – 7:00 PM
Game 5 – April 25 – @ Detroit – 7:00 PM
Game 6 – April 27 – @ Columbus – TBD
Game 7 – April 29 – @ Detroit – TBD