(Sports Network) - The Detroit Red Wings will try once again to clinch the Presidents' Trophy and the top seed in the Western Conference when they welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets for tonight's test at Joe Louis Arena.

Detroit, champions of the Central Division, are three points ahead of San Jose for the best record in the NHL with two games left for both teams. The Red Wings can secure the hardware with just a point in this evening's test. The Sharks are playing later tonight in Los Angeles.

The Red Wings also needed just a point in Wednesday's game at Chicago to gain the Presidents' Trophy, but were instead handed a 6-2 setback by the Blackhawks. Rookie Patrick Kane led the way for Chicago with a goal and two assists.

Henrik Zetterberg and Kirk Maltby lit the lamp for the Red Wings. Dominik Hasek started the game, but was yanked after allowing three goals on six shots early in the first period. Chris Osgood finished up by allowing three goals on 22 shots.

The Red Wings are closing out the regular season on a two-game homestand that will end Sunday against Chicago. Detroit has an amazing 27-9-3 record as the hosts this year and has taken six of its last eight home tests.

The Blue Jackets were eliminated from postseason contention their last time on the ice and have now missed the playoffs in all seven of their campaigns since entering the league as an expansion club in 2000-01. However, Columbus has set a new club record for points in a season with 80.

Columbus has lost five of its last six games and is coming off Sunday's close setback in Chicago. Nikolai Khabibulin stopped all three Blue Jackets shots in the shootout, and the Blackhawks earned the 5-4 decision at the United Center.

Kane scored in the shootout for Chicago and Khabibulin stopped Joakim Lindstrom and Nikolai Zherdev, giving Chicago's Jason Williams a chance to win the game with a goal. Columbus' Fredrik Norrena deflected Williams' backhand just enough that it bounced off the crossbar, but Khabibulin made sure it didn't matter by stoning Rick Nash to seal the win.

Gilbert Brule and Kris Russell each notched two assists for Columbus. Norrena had 29 saves for the Blue Jackets, who led 3-1 and 4-3, but couldn't hold on.

The Blue Jackets are playing the middle test of a three-game road trip tonight and will try to halt a five-game losing streak as the visitor. Columbus, which is 14-20-5 on the road, will close its season at home Sunday against St. Louis in the finale of a home-and-home series.

Detroit is 4-2-1 against the Blue Jackets this season and has won six of nine and eight of the last 13 meetings between the clubs. Columbus has also dropped three of four, six of eight and eight of its previous 11 tests in Motown.