DETROIT, Michigan -- Goaltender Ty Conklin made his first home start as a member of the Detroit Red Wings a memorable one, stopping all twenty shots he faced in leading the Wings to a 4-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
Conklin is now 5-1 with Detroit.
Niklas Kronwall's five-on-three goal 6:11 into the game would have been enough for the win but it didn't have to be.
Kronwall scored on a quick wrister from the right faceoff circle after jumping in from the point to take a pass from Henrik Zetterberg.
Just 3:00 into the second period Mikael Samuelsson put Detroit up by a pair, tipping a Brett Lebda pass from the corner past Edmonton goalie Dwayne Roloson.
Jiri Hudler deflected a shot off of defenseman Sheldon Souray and into the net with 5:42 left in the second and Johan Franzen scored on a great individual effort midway through the third, outwaiting Roloson before lifting a shot from at the goal line off the goalie's glove and into the net.
Conklin was rarely tested in what might have been Detroit's best defensive effort of the season. His stops on back-to-back two-on-ones in the second period kept Edmonton from getting back in the game.
Roloson made 37 saves on 41 shots in net for the Oilers.
Chris Osgood will get his chance against Edmonton on Thursday when the Red Wings visit Rexall Place for a rematch against the Oilers.
Notes: The assist on Samuelsson's goal was Lebda's first point of the season... Darren McCarty fought Zach Stortini three minutes into the game.
Dustin Penner will be a healthy scratch with the Oilers visiting the Red Wings tonight. Edmonton head coach Craig MacTavish is basically p*ssed at him and won't play him.
Ty Conklin gets the start, the first time he'll start two games in a row for Detroit.
Dan Cleary is still out with a scratched cornea. He's not expected to return until next week at the earliest.
Fight! 
Yay!
So why do they hate Penner? Well MacTavish, at least. I saw the quote they just had up, it seemed a little harsh. But I don't know the details, so it could be well-fitting?
Ha, Mac just beat the hell out of Stortini. Completely unnecessary, I don't think Stortini would have thrown punches to start it but McCarty basically says "Don't come in after the whistle on me, I'll kick your ass."
Fight!
So why do they hate Penner? Well MacTavish, at least. I saw the quote they just had up, it seemed a little harsh. But I don't know the details, so it could be well-fitting?
They paid him a small fortune and isn't producing. I like that MacT was willing to bench his ass.
Holy sh*t, Homer getting his ass kicked in front of the net and they actually called it.
Great pass by Zata, fantastic wrist shot by Kronner.
Was that Homer or Franzen in front of the net who made the smart play to let the puck through?
Kronwall gets one on the powerplay! Sweet. That was a cool goal.
Lame slash but you knew that was gonna happen.
Lilja goes again? Deserved this penalty.
I still wouldn't mind seeing him go sometimes
Oilers get their own five-on-three. Another one you knew was coming.
Big kill. Very nice.
How the hell did that not go in? Holy hell.
Intermission interview, Holmstrom to Keating: "I'm in *your* head."
Nice.
Sammy! And another great pass, this one from Lebda.
(Now I can be honored to say I was hugged by Dr. Fil yesterday cause I believe he got an assist on that!
That was a sweet deflection. 3-0
Congrats on the encounter.
I thought Kopy had gotten his stick on that but review shows otherwise.
I hate to admit it, but this game is kind of boring now =/
So, I believe I won't be saying much more for the rest of the game (not that I've been too chatty as is!
I must say before I go though, that I'm very happy that there has not been a ridiculous amount of penalties in this game so far (knock on wood).
Pisani into the boards. That did not look good. That's a broken ankle. Damn.
I hate to admit it, but this game is kind of boring now =/
I'll take it, Wings have played better in the boring games.
Game's not over until J.M.F. Franzen gets one. Holy crap. He waited for about an hour before banking that in off Roloson's glove.
What a goal by Franzen!
And the Wings hold on for the shutout.
Conklin didn't have to be great but was on the few chances Edmonton got. First really solid defensive game the Wings have played all year. We'll see if they can do it again on Thursday.
Ty Conklin
Credit: Clark Rasmussen
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