Red Wings set to give Motor City a lift

DETROIT: The Detroit Red Wings will try to give Motor City spirits another boost when they launch the defense of their Stanley Cup crown this week against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Red Wings march to the Stanley Cup last year provided one of the few feel good moments for the battered city and another championship parade would no doubt help lift the mood of Detroiters, who are at ground zero of an economic meltdown that has crippled the auto industry and sent unemployment soaring.

While the NHL set an overall attendance record for the fourth consecutive season with close to 21.5 million fans passing through the turnstiles, the Red Wings have felt the bite of the recession.