Usually when we play the Avs, we start with a flashback to the 90s and all the chaos and Shanahanigans and grudges galore. Not tonight. Tonight, we look back a lot farther than that in honor of Red Wings Legend and Extremely Good Man, Ted Lindsay.

We spend a lot of time lamenting the state of the rebuild and the woes of the team, and I will likely spend time farther down the page doing just that, but first we will think about Ted Lindsay. A career full of punches thrown and pucks sniped and a long life of courage and charity.

Hearing tributes with Mike Babcock quickly stumbling over “Mr. Lindsay is, was, a very good friend...” and ok just punch my heart again, thanks.

Now, let’s go do that hockey!

We welcome back Trevor Daley and former-Av Bernier gets the nod in net, Mike Green has the plague again, and if the Wings aren’t motivated to play their very best tonight, I don’t know what to do with that.

And for those of us missing Ozzy, he’s in the studio tonight. He may have been there last game, or even before that, but I didn’t notice until now so hello Ozzy.

1st Period

Avs get a good scoring chance two minutes in but Bernier basket catches it to his chest without coughing up an enormously dangerous rebound so off to a good start, for us. A brief Let’s Go Red Wings chant can be heard on the FSD broadcast, hockey heaven bless the road fans for we are more rowdy and less jaded than the hometown this year.

Larkin thought he squeaked one in from the side through Varlamov but just stayed out. Both teams starting fast trying to get that first goal, a lot of action and no neutral zone trap game balderdash.

Nielsen almost gets a break but couldn’t get away to take a shot and then got smooshed into the boards for good measure. A shift or two later and Nielsen doesn’t so much get open ice checked as he runs into an Avs player and bounces off, falling to the ice.

Remember when I said the game was fast? Those were good times.

Detroit goes on the powerplay for a hooking penalty and Zadina starts making waves. A saucey pass, a shot, and then lasering a puck into the crowd but it was safely corralled by a fan and she gives a jaunty wave signaling all is well.

All is even better than well, it’s darn near great, because KRONWALL SCORRREEESSSSSSS and the Wings take the lead 1-0 with 3 minutes to go. It seemed for a minute like Bertuzzi scored and the Avs fans were buzzing like very disgruntled bees or mildly peeved wasps.

Kronwall is L-I-V-I-N-G as he possibly saves a goal going the other way and then AA takes a penalty to put us on the penalty kill and give Kronwall a rest, very thoughtful of him.

Wings handle business and skate to intermission with a 1-0 lead and more Wings fans in the building than show up to LCA.

2nd Period

We kickoff the second with a minute of penalty to kill with Athanasiou sitting in the penalty box looking smad (sad and mad). Avs score shortly after the penalty expires on the ol outta-the-box-oh-crap-who-should-I-cover-oh-no-he’s-open-yikes-the-puck-is-in-the-net goal by Compher and we’re tied 1-1.

Nielsen almost gets a great shot, but not quite, he probably needs to turn himself off and back on again.

5 minutes in an MacKinnon goes flying in, catching DeKeyser taking a nap, so DK hooks him a lot, like really gets his two minutes worth out of it, and takes the penalty. Back to the penalty kill we go! Wings kill off the penalty and only almost allow a goal immediately after it expires. Improvement.

DeKeyser gets deked out of his soul behind the net and falls to the ice, but no harm except a bruised ego and possibly tailbone.

The Wings have 9 shots at the halfway point of the game and are looking generally crumbly and unappealing, next goal is going to be a big one in terms of motivation. Zadina is getting real close to that first goal and somehow almost scores with three players defending him, it’s nice to have someone other than Larkin making some razzle dazzle.

Red Wings starting to look alive, just in time as with 3 minutes left we are going back on the powerplay. With a minute left, back on even strength, and Bernier makes a great save by accident and Bertuzzi goes on a rush the other way to a loud chorus of boos from the crowd.

We end the second still tied 1-1, but with the Wings showing they may just give us a good third period...

3rd Period

Here we go, third period, tied 1-1. You may know I have something of a knack for picking games to recap that go into OT, but it’s 11pm on the East Coast and we’re all old and cranky and time is just a marketing tactic by Big Ben to sell clocks so maybe we could just win in regulation?

Wow, a throwback Red Wings Suck chant erupts after what sounded like another Let’s Go Red Wings chant got going. Wings fans bringing the energy to the Avs barn and this might just power us through to a victory.

DANNY DEKEYSER. AFTER ALL HE PUT US THROUGH. COMES UP BIG WITH THE GOAL!!! Great setup by de la Rose, too. Wings up 2-1 to start the period.

Bertuzzi almost nets one a few minutes later - if he scores I think the building may actually implode - but Wings are really hustling to start the period and seem to have the Avs scrambling a bit.

12 minutes to go and Rasmussen gets called for high-sticking. Inadvertent contact but a deserved penalty and he is genuinely angry. His face is actually frowny, eyebrows down, yells erupting. First time for everything.

And just like that, we’re tied 2-2 with a nifty goal from Rantanen. Blashill challenges for goaltender interference as usual, but the call stands. Something positive to note is that, along with Zadina, Bowey has been having a great game.

Still tied with 7 minutes to go and the pace is really picking up with some solid chances for both teams. DeKeyser still doing good things with a nice setup to Bertuzzi for a redirect try.

Under 4 to play and Avs take a bench minor for Too Much Man(TM) penalty and Wings get their third powerplay to try and break the tie. Third time’s the charm?

deep breath

FILIP

ZADINA

FIRST

NHL

GOAL

Ken Daniels just exploded into a thousand sparkles. I just exploded into a thousand sparkles. Seriously, Ken Daniels probably hurt his vocal cords.

AHHHHHHHHH FILIP ZADINAAAAAAAA

less than two minutes to go and the party’s over, Avs score to tie the game 3-3.

HOLY JUMPIN’ what a save by Bernier with half a minute to go, and then the post makes a great save to keep the game tied.

2.7 seconds to go and the whistle goes for offside.

LGD OT IS A GO.

...why do my recaps always go to OT???

OVERTIME

Zadina and Hronek and Larkin on the ice together and the Wings fans are BREATHING ENERGY in the Avs barn right now.

AA gets an AA break setup by Mantha but can’t bury it, MacKinnon comes the other way and scores the gamewinner and a cruise ship is about to leave the harbor, oh wait that’s just their goal horn.

Red Wings lose, but really isn’t a loss just another form of victory in that we got a Zadina dramatic goal, extra hockey, but didn’t sabotage our draft pick that much?

In conclusion, Filip Zadina.

Goodnight.