(Sports Network) - The top-seeded Detroit Red Wings will begin their quest for a Stanley Cup title tonight, when they host eight seed Nashville in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals at Joe Louis Arena.

The Red Wings were the winners of this year's Presidents' Trophy as the league's best team in the regular season. Detroit has won the award in three of the last four years and six times overall.

Detroit also won the Central Division for a seventh straight season and hit the 100-point mark for a record-tying eighth campaign in a row. However, Detroit hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 2002.

On the other hand, not much was expected out of the Preds in 2007-08. Uncertainty in ownership and a possible relocation led to a payroll reduction that saw the club trade away Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell and Tomas Vokoun in addition to letting Paul Kariya and Peter Forsberg leave as free agents. However, that didn't stop Nashville from reaching the postseason for a fourth straight year.

The Red Wings didn't exactly own the Predators this year, going 5-3-0 against them in the regular season. Detroit and Nashville have met once in the postseason, as the Red Wings defeated the Preds in six games during the 2004 conference quarterfinals.

Game 2 of this series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon in Detroit.

With Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg on the roster it is tough to imagine Detroit struggling in the postseason. Datsyuk led the Red Wings with a career- high 97 points, also setting career bests with 31 goals and 66 assists. Zetterberg reached the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career (43 goals) and also notched a career-high 49 assists despite missing seven games this year due to back spasms.

Both Zetterberg and Datsyuk were solid contributors during Detroit's postseason run last year, with Zetterberg donating 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists) in 18 games. Datsyuk added 16 points (8g, 8a) in last year's playoff run.

Detroit's offense doesn't slack at the blueline either, thanks to five-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom (10g, 60a) and first-year Red Wing Brian Rafalski (13g, 42a). Both are good at keeping the opposing team out of the net as well, as evident with Lidstrom's plus-40 rating and Rafalski's plus-27.

The Red Wings have two number one netminders to pick from for the postseason. Chris Osgood was an All-Star after going 20-3-2 with a 1.87 goals-against average in 25 games before the break, but went just 7-6-2 with a 2.46 GAA in 17 second-half games. Dominik Hasek (27-10-3, 2.14 GAA), meanwhile, ended up begin the more consistent of the two by posting a 2.12 GAA in the first half and a 2.20 GAA in the second.

Hasek, who will start for Detroit tonight, has made 115 playoff appearances in his career to Osgood's 87.

Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios will make a bit of history when he takes the ice tonight. The 46-year-old will tie his former teammate Patrick Roy's NHL record by playing in his 247th playoff game.

Nashville split much of its scoring load between three players as the trio of Jason Arnott, J.P. Dumont and Alexander Radulov posted excellent seasons for the Preds.

Arnott, the club's 33-year-old captain, tied with Dumont for the team lead in points with 72, and also had a club-high and career-high tying 44 assists. Not bad for a center in his 14th NHL season who has 63 postseason points (27 goals, 36 assists) in his career.

Dumont, 30, ended as Nashville's top goal scorer with 29 markers, a new career best. The forward finished with 72 points to top the career-high 66 he totaled with the Preds last year. He also had a solid though limited postseason last year, managing four goals and two helpers in six games.

Mixed in with that experience is the play of second-year forward Radulov. The 21-year-old set new career bests across the board with 26 goals, 32 assists, 58 points and 81 games played. However, he did cool down at the end of the season with just two goals over his last 19 games played.

Goaltending is certainly an issue for Nashville. Chris Mason (18-22-6, 2.90 goals-against average) made 45 starts this year, while Dan Ellis (23-10-3, 2.34) started in 37 tests and played better down the stretch.

The 27-year-old Ellis will get the call in Game 1, despite playing in just one NHL game prior to this season.

Detroit was the best home team in the NHL this season, going 29-9-3 at the Joe. Nashville was just 18-18-5 as the visiting team.