Blackwood (heel) allowed five goals on 34 shots in Tuesday's 5-4 overtime loss to Ottawa.

Blackwood understandably looked a little rusty in his first action since Jan. 19. Thomas Chabot's power-play marker in the final minute of the first period opened the scoring, and Ottawa added two goals apiece from Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson against Blackwood. Coach Lindy Ruff had previously announced that the plan was to play Blackwood on Tuesday and Friday this week, and with no sign of a physical setback in this one, the 25-year-old netminder should defend the cage for Friday's season finale against the Red Wings after yielding the crease for Thursday's penultimate game in Carolina.