DETROIT, Michigan -- Mikael Samuelsson scored two unassisted goals and Chris Osgood stopped all 19 shots he faced to guide the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals Saturday night.
Samuelsson had scored only two goals in the previous 16 games of the playoffs before notching the game's first two tallies.
His first goal came with 6:59 left in the second period. The Penguins went for an ill-timed line change while Samuelsson had the puck in the neutral zone. He used the extra space to race in down the left wing and wrap around the net, banking a shot in off of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
Just 2:16 into the third he scored again, breaking up a short pass from Fleury to Evgeni Malkin and knocking the puck past Fleury to put Detroit up by a pair.
With 2:42 left in the game, Dan Cleary added a shorthanded goal. Kris Draper threw the puck the length of the ice and Cleary raced down after it as it came off the back boards, swatting a backhander high into the net.
With Jarkko Ruutu in the box for slashing Tomas Holmstrom, Henrik Zetterberg scored from the slot to wrap up the game's scoring with 13 seconds left in the game.
That goal was the only power play goal of the night, with Detroit having six chances with the extra attacker and the Penguins five.
The Red Wings thought they had scored the game's first goal with 4:40 left in the first period when Nicklas Lidstrom beat Fleury but the goal was negated with a controversial goaltender interference call on Holmstrom.
Fleury stopped 32 of 36 shots against in his first-ever Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
The win boosts Osgood's record in the Finals to 5-0.
Game Two of the series will be on Monday night from Detroit.
Notes: The Red Wings were once again with Johan Franzen, who has resumed practicing with the team but has not been cleared to play.
I can't believe I actually held off until today to open this thread up...
The eldest players for each team will be out tonight as Chris Chelios and Gary Roberts each sit. Chelios calls himself a healthy scratch after missing Game Six of the Dallas series with a knee injury, while Roberts is recovering from pneumonia.
Johan Franzen ruled himself out for Game One, though he has begun practicing with the Red Wings after missing the final five games of the Western Conference Finals.
The Red Wings will go with the same lineup as they used to finish off the Stars, meaning much-malaigned defenseman Andreas Lilja is in the lineup.
As usual, no predictions from me. I feel good but cautious.
I'm surprised that Cheli is out for game one, considering how much he has been talking to the media.
I can't wait to see how Nick is going to handle Crosby and Malkin. That matchup alone will be one of the biggest highlights of the series.
Looking forward to dropping the puck!
One blown call and 4 penalties to 2 I think the NHL already has Sid's name etched in the cup. Wings have to play Pens & refs. They have had their chances would love to see them bury the first one (again).
I'm worried that if the Wings don't score on this power play, it'll come back to bite them in the ass.
I'm breathing now after the SHG but if the Pens are gonna goon it up, I wanna see the Wings smack them right back down.
I think I saw almost everything I hoped the Wings would do tonight. Well, well played.
Three. Three to go.
Oh my god. A reporter just asked Babcock about the disallowed goal. Basically said "The stick was in the crease? Is that illegal now? Did he touch him? Did he interfere in any way?" And then refused to say any more on it. ![]()
That was one of the oddest games I have seen, so to say. Especially the first period, people falling everywhere. But good.
I'm happy for Samuelsson! Too bad, he was one short. And the shorthanded goal was superb. And the one that was disallowed.
And the shutout. Osgood is still playing fantastically stellar.
I'm very excited for the rest of the series since Don Cherry supports the Wings, considering last year he was supporting Anaheim from the very beginning and they won.
We'll see if it happens again.
Babcock on the disallowed goal...
Question: Mike, you looked pretty animated on the disallowed goal. I had a sense you didn't agree with the call. Are they coming down a little too hard on him now?
Mike Babcock: You're setting me up here. You throw me a softball you want me to respond. You watched the game. Was he in the crease?
Question: I thought maybe his stick might be in between the goal.
Mike Babcock: That's the rule, you can't put your stick in the crease now, is it? Did they change that when I wasn't watching?
Question: I thought it was between his leg. I could be wrong.
Mike Babcock: Did he touch his pads in any way or interfere with him in any way?
Question: Regardless, are you concerned they're coming down too hard on Holmstrom now?
Mike Babcock: They gotta decide. I just coach the game. I don't get to referee it.
Question: Mike, to follow up on that. Did they give you an explanation that he hooked him or did anything in particular? Didn't need an explanation?
Mike Babcock: No, we got I don't know. Let's go to the next topic.
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