Well, overall league Lead in points for one.  Philadelphia lost last night and leads with 60, followed by Detroit and Ottawa with 59.

Carolina has 58 points and is running away with the Southeast division.

via the Detroit News:

“They’re young, fast, they’re getting good goaltending and they’re battling every night,” goalie Manny Legace said. “They’re buzzing around every night and doing all the right things.”

Detroit takes a 4-point lead in the Central into tonite’s game, along with a sour taste from Sunday’s debacle at the Joe against Dallas.  If for no other reason, those six unanswered goals from the Stars may be reason for Carolina to be wary.

Via the Raleigh Herald Sun:

“It’s a big game,” Carolina coach Peter Laviolette said Monday. “It’s the best team in the west. At the end of the day, we could be No. 1 in the league.”

“I think any time you play a team of that caliber — a top-level team — I think there’s a little added excitement,” center Matt Cullen said. “They’re arguably the best team in the league right now, some great players. The level’s going to be raised [tonight]. We’re well aware of that, and we’re excited — we like to play in games like that.”

Johan Franzen is expected to miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury.

Manny Legace will start for the Wings.

Raleigh Herald Sun 

Detroit News Game Day