DETROIT, Michigan -- Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Stastny beat Detroit Red Wings netminder Joey MacDonald in the third round of a shootout Thursday night to give the Avalanche a 3-2 win over the Red Wings in Detroit's exhibition home opener.
The Red Wings, who utilized a new rule allowing the home team to choose whether to shoot first or second, got a first-round goal from Jiri Hudler. Wojtek Wolski scored for Colorado in the first round before Tomas Holmstrom, Tyler Arnason and Robert Lang were denied.
The Red Wings had opened the scoring with a power play goal from Nicklas Lidstrom in the first period but the Avalanche evened the game with a power play goal of their own in the second.
Hudler put Detroit back out front in the third, scoring on the rebound of a Niklas Kronwall blast, before Brett MacLean stole the puck from Valtteri Filppula and skated in and put a shot over MacDonald's glove to tie things up.
Chris Osgood started the game in net for Detroit before being relieved to start the third period. Jose Theodore made the start for Colorado and was replaced by Tyler Weiman at the same time.
The Red Wings will be back in action on Friday, when Dominik Hasek is expected to make the first start of his third stint in Detroit as the Tampa Bay Lightning visit Joe Louis Arena.
Through two, Osgood has really been the best player on the ice for the Wings. He looks quicker than I remember him and I think he's playing the angles better.
Lebda and Kronwall are looking good, too. None of the kids fighting for a spot on the roster are really impressing me aside from Bootland's willingness to drop the gloves. That's pretty disappointing.
Hudler goes and makes me look like a liar in the third. Picks up a goal and contributes some good defensive stickwork. MacDonald with a huge save in the final minutes and we go to overtime.
Hudler looked good again in the shooutout and MacDonald looked like Dominik Hasek circa 1999 in the OT but the Avs walk away with the win.
You know now that Shanny is gone we don't have anyone who is willing to drop the gloves in that enforcer role. Bootland might be our best bet, besides who is going to stick up for Lidstrom or anyone else?
The Wings only fought five times last year anyway, I'm not sure how important it is. I like how willing Bootland is to drop the gloves but I worry that it might be too willing.
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