Second Straight Shutout Swamps Wings 3-0

by joehass on Dec 23, 2009 9:38 PM CST in Game Recaps

The Red Wings hoped that coming home would help them put the 3-0 Sunday night shutout at the hands of Cristobel Huet.

Different night, different goaltender, same scoreboard.

This time, it was Antti Niemi who stopped all 33 Red Wings shots while Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, and Jonathan Toews were able to put the puck past Jimmy Howard to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 3-0 win.

For the Red Wings, it's their third straight loss, and their fifth shutout in the past month.

Detroit again gave up a goal on the penalty kill for the second straight game for the first time since November 21 and 23.

In the second period, with the Red Wings down a man for too many men on the ice, Kane was on the outside of the faceoff circle to the right of Jimmy Howard. He ripped a slapshot that went to the top shelf behind Howard, who was screened by Troy Brouwer. It was Kane's 15th of the season.

In the third, Duncan Keith came in strongly to the right of Howard, and Howard made the save. But Howard didn't hold on to the shot, and in the flurry that followed in front of the net, Sharp found the puck and put it past Howard to make it 2-0.

Finally, with just 78 seconds left, Keith's shot from the blue line deflected off Derek Meech's stick, which slowed it enough for Toews to swat it past Howard for the final goal.

The Red Wings are off until Saturday night when the Columbus Blue Jackets come to town.

Player of the game: Pavel Datsuyk. He won 57% of his faceoffs, had five shots, and at least seemed to have some effort.

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Comments

We are just so over matched right now

it’s ridiculous hopefully we start getting a player or 2 back soon and just gotta keep hanging in the playoff race for now

we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE

thanks for a great season Rockies!

LETS GO WINGS!

by TuLoRocks2008 on Dec 23, 2009 10:05 PM CST reply actions

November 23-27

Three straight losses, shut out twice in a row. Tomas Homlstrom ended that goalless period on a power play early in the second period on November 28 and the Red Wings needed Todd Bertuzzi to win it.

I think I may have figured out why Leino can’t do anything: too many Swedes.

by bleep bloop on Dec 23, 2009 10:32 PM CST reply actions

There is no use finding reasons for the lack of offense. A team can only do so much when they lose 5 of the top 8 forwards and 3 of the top 5 defenseman are out. Hawk’s fans will of course just call them excuses, but it’s reality. The Hawk’s are too good to beat with a bunch of third and fourth liners and 3 AHL defenseman.

The Zetterberg injury has finally pushed the Wings to the breaking point. They just need to steal some wins in the next few weeks and keep the playoffs close. I’m pretty sure they can get hot once January is over. Hopefully that is not too late.

Right now if I could see one of these guys back in the lineup, I would have to say Kronwall. They really miss him on the power play and everything else he brings. Zetterberg and Franzen would be good choices too, but I think Kronwall was playing awesome until he got hurt.

Sounds like a good poll idea to me.

by dewman8810 on Dec 24, 2009 2:27 AM CST reply actions

Of course the Red Wings aren’t going to be getting really high scores (although, I wouldn’t be too surprised if they do against the Blue Jackets), but that doesn’t explain a complete lack in the past two games.

by bleep bloop on Dec 24, 2009 9:52 AM CST up reply actions