Bodog Beat

His team finally won, but Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Lidstrom left in the first period with an injury. (AP Images)

The best team in the NHL, the Detroit Red Wings, came into their game in Colorado as losers of six straight. They broke their losing streak with a 4-0 win over the Avalanche, but the victory came with a cost: a Niklas Lidstrom injury.

Lidstrom left the game in the first period with a reported knee injury, a result of a bodycheck by Colorado's Ian Laperriere. Talk of a concussion is also making the rounds, though that's been denied by team officials. Laperriere's forearm made contact with Lidstrom's jaw, leaving the d-man on wobbly legs as he left the ice. At the moment, there's no word on how many games, if any, Lidstrom will miss.

Henrik Zetterberg notched two goals for the Red Wings, who were -155 favorites, while goalie Chris Osgood put up his 47th career shutout.

The loss was costly for the Avs who were attempting to leapfrog Calgary and Vancouver into seventh spot in the Western Conference. As it stands, Colorado is on the outside looking in for the playoffs.