[Game Recap] Wings lose 4-5 in OT against Stars

The Dallas Stars (18-17-6) stormed back to nab a 5-4 OT win over the Detroit Red Wings (29-7-6) in the second meeting between these two teams in less than a week. The loss snapped the Wings six-game winning streak and was not the way Detroit wanted to start off its five-game, 11-day road trip.

The Stars fired off an impressive 49 shots throughout regulation and into the extra frame. Dallas has not had that many shots in a game since February 1997. Without superb goaltending by Chris Osgood, the goal differential between these two teams would have been much larger.

Detroit jumped to a 3-1 lead by the end of the first stanza. 10:49 into the game, defenseman Brian Rafalski sent a quick shot flying from the point. It redirected off of a Stars defenseman before finding its way into the net. Just 1:50 later, Tomas Holmstrom would give the Wings a two-goal advantage when he found a wide open net after Pavel Datsyuk deked Stars defenseman Darryl Sydor and then made a slick backhanded pass to Homer.

With 3:59 left in the period, Nicklas Grossman scored his first NHL goal in the regular season in his 110th game to get Dallas on the scoreboard. Detroit would regain its two-goal lead when Marian Hossa tallied power-play goal over a minute and a half later.

Just 52 seconds into the second frame, Stephan Robidas beat Osgood on a shot from atop the right faceoff circle. Nearly 15 minutes later, Dallas would score the only other goal of the period on a Mark Parrish one-timer. The Stars had 23 shots in just the second period. On average, Detroit has only allowed 27.7 shots in an entire game by its opponents. In fact, it was the most shots Detroit has allowed an opponent in one period since November 2001. Both teams headed into the second intermission with three goals each.

5:19 into the third, Datsyuk made another Datsyukian deke on defenseman Matt Niskanen and then let loose a great wristshot to give Detroit the lead. Despite the best efforts of the Stars, the Wings clung to that lead until Brett Lebda was called for holding. A little over a minute into that penalty kill, Steve Ott scored Dallas' only power-play goal of the evening to send the game into overtime. The Stars only went 1-for-7 on the power play, which was good news for Detroit as their penalty kill has been struggling on the road this season.

Trevor Daley scored the game-winning goal 1:51 into the extra period while the Wings were temporarily down a player. Forward Dan Cleary had given his stick to defenseman Brad Stuart, who had lost his stick. Instead of trying to stay in a lane and block shots or passes until the play cleared, Cleary opted to go to the bench and have his replacement (Hossa) jump in on the play. Unfortunately by the time Hossa got back into the action, Daley had just scored to end the game.

To be honest, the Wings didn't really deserve to win that game despite a strong first period. It was thanks to Osgood's amazing goaltending (he even earned an assist on Detroit's second goal) and the strong play of Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg that gave the Wings a chance. While Detroit will be disappointed that they allowed that many shots on goal, they should be happy to have gotten a point out of the effort.

Christy's Red Wings Player of the Game: Pavel Datsyuk

Despite the play of the game going to Henrik Zetterberg on the penalty kill early in the third, I have to give the Wings player of the game award to Datsyuk. He had two assists and a goal on the night and had to great dekes on two Stars defensemen.

Pavel Datsyuk

#13 / Center / Detroit Red Wings

Height: 5-11

Weight: 197

Born: Jul 20, 1978

After losing their first game of 2009, the Wings will continue their five-game road trip to Anaheim where they will take on the Ducks this Wednesday at 10 p.m.