Last game of the year, 2020 here we come! You likely saw earlier that AA is out for a few weeks, so we have Givani Smith is on the second line. Filppula and Green were questionably but Flip is in and Green is out.
…and I’m still mad at the Sharks from the playoffs at the start of this decade.
First Period
First decent scoring chance comes from a Helm sorta breakaway, but don’t get excited. Sharks haven’t been able to put much together in the opening minutes the Wings have had some decent looks but not many real shots.
Givani Smith already chirping and shoving at Burns. If things get out of hand maybe Givani and Bert will need to take a few shifts together later, they’d fight the whole team. But I guess All Stars should set a better example…
9 minutes in and Lashoff (yeah, he’s here) got sent hard into the boards from behind. Biega the Bulldog, playing his 200th NHL game, comes in to help. This ends up as a powerplay FOR THE SHARKS as Biega gets 2 minutes for enforcing justice and nothing on the hit. Sharks get a clank off the goalpost, thank you goalpost. Penalty killed!
The Sharks have woken up and got a scary chance around 12:30. Nemeth was scrapping for the puck behind the net and leaving it on a platter right in front of the net but thank you Givani for fishing it out from behind Bernier. Givani Smith, Ace Goaltender.
3 minutes to go and another YIKE but another save by Bernier. Wings finally show more life coming back the other way with Bertuzzi crashing the net with Larkin but Bert ends up in the net instead of the puck. We’ll pretend that wasn’t hooking, the refs certainly are.
Perfect time for a Wings powerplay as Nielsen gets tripped up with 2 minutes to go. Immediate nice setup for a Hronek blast but Jones made the save. Jones keeps having to work at a flurry of shots from Larkin, Hronek, and Zadina.
Givani getting time on the second PP unit, good experience for him. The 2nd unit is actually doing some great work, Abby is just wide of finally scoring a goal. That was a shocking powerplay because it was GOOD. Like our 2nd unit is silly but they tried and were GOOD. The absolute nerve. The unmitigated gall.
We end the period tied at zilch but the momentum has swung back to the Red Wings after that exciting powerplay.
Second Period
Smith is hunting for his first goal, he was almost able to jam it in the corner and has been having a great game so far – as he always seems to do with Detroit. Big save from Bernier on a breakaway who made it look easy, but Sorensen didn’t really have any tricks up his sleeve bringing it in.
KABOOM! ALL STAR TYLER BERTUZZI SCORES!!!!! Fantastic redirect from Holmstrom’s office to make it 1-0 Red Wings at 3:15. Assists from Bowey and Fabbri Larkin.
There’s the All-Star and there’s one of the reasons why. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/dwHMj2JA3s
— FOX Sports Detroit (@FOXSportsDet) January 1, 2020
Zadina and Smith are making a good team together on the same line, Mick is excited about it. He’s in a three ginger ale kind of delighted mood. Wings showing a lot of energy with even Abby and Erne getting in the mix with some shots and Bowey picking up Sharks and putting them down.
Unfortunately, the party ends with a penalty against the Wings. The Sharks spend entirely too long on the delayed penalty but a combination of Bernier and luck keeps the puck out of the net before the powerplay has even begun. Wings to the penalty kill halfway through the period and the penalty is killed, hooray!
DISPUTATIOUSNESS! Bertuzzi takes exception to a hit on Larkin, the hit wasn’t really anything that bad, but Hronek also gets into it with Dillon as part of a scrum that has been bubbling up all game. We’ll play 4 on 4 with 6:30 to go and that’s pretty much it.
We end the second period with the 1-0 lead, on to the third! Shots are 20-19 in favor of the Sharks, who are apparently 1-15-0 when trailing after two periods.
Third Period
Five minutes in and we’re still ahead. Isn’t that somethin? Another scrum breaks out because Bertuzzi is on the ice and he and Daley don’t like Meier taking a little jab at Bernier who stopped his shot.
Bowey heads to the box for a high-sticking penalty at 8:14. Red Wings penalty kill time and the penalty is killed! Bernier is looking sharp and determined to hang on to the lead. Deal with it Karlsson, you’re not getting a rebound off of him.
Heaven help us but they’re playing Sweet Caroline with 8:52 to go. The hubris.
Abby has a good row with Goodrow which sends both off with a five for fighting penalty. And the DJ is playing My Own Worst Enemy. He’s really trying to get through the hits in case something goes wrong.
Noesen roughing penalty sends Wings to the powerplay at 14:30. Still hanging on to a 1-0 lead. The penalty is killed. Shots now lopsided at 31-22 Sharks.
1:11 to go and Bernier makes a save that leaves him laying on the ice like he wants to be painted like a French girl and the Sharks just…shoot the puck gently into him so he doesn’t have to move.
One minute…still in the lead.
HRONEK EMPTY NETTER! 2-0 WINGS! This is the first shot on goal for the Wings since 6 minutes into the period.
RED WINGS WIIIIIIIIIIN! Hronek and Bertuzzi are your goal scorers, another excellent game from Bernier, and shots 33-23 Sharks.
