DETROIT, Michigan -- Backup goaltender Chris Osgood earned his first win of the season and the Detroit Red Wings picked up their second victory in a row Wednesday night, defeating the Calgary Flames 4-2.
The win came in Osgood's first start of the campaign. He stopped 19 of Calgary's 21 shots in the effort.
The Red Wings got on the board first for the third consecutive game, scoring on the power play at 8:08 of the opening period.
Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff attempted a long pass that was picked off by Pavel Datsyuk. Datsyuk broke in on the net, drawing Kiprusoff to him before passing off to Henrik Zetterberg to slam the puck into the open side of the net.
Kristian Huselius evened things up with 6:39 remaining in the first, breaking in on a two-on-one before faking out Osgood and putting a shot behind him.
Tomas Holmstrom put Detroit back in the lead at 3:01 of the second period. Datsyuk carried into the Calgary end before sending a centering pass out to Holmstrom. A failed interception attempt put it right on Holmstrom's stick and he shoveled it in under Kiprusoff.
Huselius pulled the Flames back into a tie just 3:24 later, picking off a Niklas Kronwall pass and skating in on Osgood, banking a shot off of the goalie and in.
Kris Draper's late second-period goal would put the Red Wings in front for good.
With a delayed penalty coming to the Flames, the Red Wings put a flurry of shots on the Calgary net. A rebound came out to Andreas Lilja at the blue line and he fired a shot that Draper deflected around Kiprusoff with 3:01 left in the period.
Mikael Samuelsson added an insurance marker on a power play with 4:24 remaining in regulation, firing a shot from the top of the left circle that may have been deflected in the low slot.
Kiprusoff finished the night with 24 saves.
The Red Wings went two-for-three on the power play and scored an additional goal while skating six-on-five. The Flames were held off the scoresheet on two chances with the extra attacker.
Detroit will be back in action on Friday night when they host the Chicago Blackhawks in the finale of their three-game homestand.
Chris Osgood gets the start in net tonight against the Flames, with Dominik Hasek backing him up. Hasek's got a bruised knee, he could play but to be safe the Wings are sitting him tonight.
The score should be 3 or 4 to 1 in the first period
..... a couple of chances or potential goals by the Wings were botched by one too many fancy passes ......
Hope this doesn't turn into one of those games where the Wings will need a 2-3 goal lead to stay out in front. Need some offensive production out of lines 2 and 3 ....... ![]()
Hudler had room, he shouldn't have taken the shot from so far out.
Mickey was saying that had HUDS faked and not shot, he would have had a lot of net ..... Most NHL goalies will come out and stop 99% of those kind of shots. Too bad ..l. it was a great pass.
Ken and Mickey got it right in the postgame, Calgary's big names were quiet tonight. I'd like to think that's a sign of the Wings shutting them down but I know the Flames haven't done much this season so it could be either.
Ken and Mickey got it right in the postgame, Calgary's big names were quiet tonight. I'd like to think that's a sign of the Wings shutting them down but I know the Flames haven't done much this season so it could be either.
The Wing's 4 lines handled the Oilers well. They were physical when they needed to be, while at the same time skating, shooting and controlling the play at both ends. The Wings were dominant. Its too early to say for sure, but I would have to say, the Wings are a much improved team, this year, even over where they were last year. ![]()
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