DENVER, Colo. – The Red Wings may have lost more than a game Sunday at Pepsi Center.

Valtteri Filppula, who is off to the best start of his NHL career with 21 points and a plus-9 rating, was cut on the leg above the skate boot. The seriousness of the injury was not immediately known though coach Mike Babcock indicated that the Wings’ forward had been taken to a Denver hospital.

“Fil got a cut on his leg above his skate,” Babcock said. “We sent him to have it looked at. We don't know if it's serious or not serious.”

Filppula was injured late in the first period when he got tangled along the boards with Avalanche forward David Jones. Without Filppula in the game, the Wings lost the momentum that they turned into a 1-0 lead. Colorado went on to out-shoot the Wings, 28-18, in the final two periods.

“Fil's been playing real well for us, eating a lot of minutes, PK and power play,” said center Henrik Zetterberg, Filppula’s linemate.

The Avs ended the Wings’ seven-game winning streak with a 4-2 decision.

“Fil's played probably as well as anybody has played,” forward Danny Cleary said. “He's been fantastic for us. He got cut there. I think it was more precaution than anything. It was a big loss, the whole line combinations were all jumbled.”

Prior to Sunday, Filppula had been on a five-game point streak, collecting five goals and two assists.

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