The Red Wings finally defeated the Flames.
We can all breathe a sigh of relief.
It wasn’t a pretty victory, but it’s two points against a team that Detroit is supposed to win against. On top of that, the Wings are now 2-0-0 to start their four game road trip through western Canada.
Bullets!
- I don’t know who struggled more early in the 1st period… the Red Wings and their turnovers or Fox Sports Detroit and their technical difficulties./
- Thank goodness Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are playing so well this early in the season. I would hate to see how badly this team would struggle to score if those two weren’t clicking. The first goal, scored by Datsyuk, came after a nice shot from the point by Jakub Kindl. He got the puck on the boards, skated along the blue line and fired a slap shot from the top of the slot. That’s an easy looking move by him, but something I don’t think Kindl of a few years ago could have pulled off.
- The second goal, scored by Zetterberg, was highlighted by Todd Bertuzzi with his signature spinning blind backhand pass… except when this maneuver is done down low and towards the net because it’s actually a failed shot, well, I’ll take it. The end result was a goal and it looked pretty.
- After the second Wings goal, Detroit went over 12 minutes without a shot./
- The Flames owned the majority of the 2nd period. Jiri Hudler, my X-Factor from the game preview, set up Calgary’s first goal. Mike Cammalleri, my player to fear, set up the Flames’ second goal.
- The Wings first two goals were scored on back-to-back shots. The Flames first two goals were scored on back-to-back shots./
- Remember those turnovers I mentioned above? Yeah… it was a real tough game for Brendan Smith, Kyle Quincey and, the player who never makes mistakes, Danny DeKeyser. I guess we can blame Smith for DeKeyser’s turnovers, right?
- Right before the 2nd period ended, Ken Daniels and Chris Osgood were talking about Sean Monahan playing so well in the NHL and being so confident at such a young age. This ventured into talking about Anthony Mantha’s success in the QMJHL and the chances of him making the Wings next season. Hahahahahaaha…. *sigh*…. it’s actually not funny anymore. It just makes me sad.
- A better 3rd period. Joakim Andersson stopped being invisible and scored on a lucky shot from the corner pretty much behind Joey MacDonald. Later in the period, Justin Abdelkader with a snipe from the same area. We’ve discovered a new weakness for Joey Mac. He can’t stop shots from the goal line on his glove side.
- It should be noted that Johan Franzen left the game. I guess we can assume it’s the same undisclosed injury that caused him to miss the Canucks game. Maybe the diggers will actually ask about it this time.
- Curtis Glencross, another player to fear that I mentioned in the Morning Skate, scored a goal off a skate with nine seconds remaining in the game. The game was pretty much over by that point though.
- Datsyuk is your player of the game./
And finally, due to who the Wings played tonight and who was calling the game with Ken, I just want to leave you with the following video (created by Tyler).
Figured we’d go out on a Happy note.
Let’s Go Red Wings.
