Red Wings - Game Recap
Red Wings Hold Off Ducks with Wild Third Period
DETROIT, Michigan -- Henrik Zetterberg scored three third-period goals for the first Detroit hat trick since 2008 and the Red Wings held off a comeback by the Anaheim Ducks for a 7-4 win Saturday night.
The Wings had taken a 2-1 lead into the game's final frame before the teams combined for eight goals in twenty minutes.
"He kind of took over," Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall said of Zetterberg. "He's been playing really strong for us of late and he had some chances early. He stuck with it and he really came through when we needed him the most."
Detroit lost three leads in the game after going up 2-0 in the first period.
Bobby Ryan tied the game at two just 3:47 into the third on a power play goal.
Pavel Datsyuk put the Wings out front again with a power play goal of their own at 5:17 only to have Joffrey Lupul tie it again 1:09 later.
Zetterberg's first put the Wings up 4-3 at 9:10 but Ryan Getzlaf tied it on an Anaheim five-on-three with 5:33 remaining.
Zetterberg scored again to put Detroit up for good just 1:02 later, beating Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller with a fluttering slap shot from the top of the right circle.
Darren Helm snapped a shot from the left circle over Hiller's shoulder to restore Detroit's two-goal lead with 2:15 remaining.
Zetterberg completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal in the game's final second.
Dan Cleary had opened the game's scoring with 6:28 left in the first period, tipping a Niklas Kronwall shot past Hiller on a Detroit power play.
Brian Rafalski extended the lead with 44 seconds remaining in the first on another power play goal.
Corey Perry pulled the Ducks to within a goal in the second, taking a feed from Getzlaf after a Jonathan Ericsson giveaway in the Detroit end.
Wings goalie Jimmy Howard finished the night with 19 saves on 23 shots against in his third consecutive start. Hiller stopped 30 of the 36 Detroit chances he faced.
Detroit went three-for-six on the power play. Anaheim went two-for-four with one goal on a five-on-three.
The Red Wings are now off until Wednesday when they host the Dallas Stars.
User Comments
Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/14/2009 at 6:00 PM
I've got family on their way over so this'll be quick...
Howard starts, Osgood is still sick. Maltby also out. This puts the Wings using the same lines as they did on Thursday.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/14/2009 at 7:13 PM
I can't believe Zata didn't shoot on that early chance.
Posted by Mathieu_Datsyuk132351 on 11/14/2009 at 7:33 PM
Cleary gets a powerplay goal to make the Wings have a 1 goal lead!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/14/2009 at 7:56 PM
Solid period. Love the Ducks getting into penalty trouble.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/14/2009 at 9:03 PM
That's two now where the Wings just gave the puck away and it turned into an Anaheim goal.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/14/2009 at 9:09 PM
Lupul goal was horrible. Howard should have had it.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/14/2009 at 9:37 PM
Curly fries!
Posted by OldBroad on 11/14/2009 at 11:02 PM
Despite the Wings' lapses, that was a very entertaining game, especially the third period...probably would not have been so entertaining had they lost, of course.
I am enjoying watching the youngsters and the newcomers make their mark on the team...on the whole, they are having a positive impact. They are making things happen.
Zetterberg was MAGNIFICENT!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/14/2009 at 11:11 PM
I am enjoying watching the youngsters and the newcomers make their mark on the team...on the whole, they are having a positive impact. They are making things happen.
Ericsson and Howard both had awful giveaways that led to goals but I thought Helm and Abdelkader looked pretty good. Hell, Miller was getting pretty involved for someone playing only his second game with the team, too.
Leino seems *just* on the verge of making use of all that potential, it's just like he's trying a bit too hard right now.
Posted by Shade on 11/15/2009 at 1:34 AM
Can't say I am too pleased with the Ducks loss, but Zetterberg did wonders for my fantasy hockey team. 
Posted by YzerFan19 on 11/15/2009 at 11:10 AM
Hiller's on both of my fantasy teams and I'm fine with him getting lit up.
Posted by Mathieu_Datsyuk132351 on 11/15/2009 at 2:09 PM
I'm sick and took medicine, so I only got to see the first period. I did NOT expect the score to be like that!
It's nice to see everyone contributing in the scoring department. I wonder how long these crazy games with a ton of goals will go on?
Posted by drwmike33 on 11/16/2009 at 12:26 PM
This was by far the best game I've been at so far. Not just because I was on the Miller Lite party deck with free beer and food all night, but it was legitimately an incredible back and forth game. What a night!
Henrik Zetterberg takes a faceoff
Credit: Clark Rasmussen
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