Todd Bertuzzi will be in the Detroit Red Wings' lineup tonight as they host the Anaheim Ducks, leaving Kirk Maltby on the outside looking in for the first time since 1996.
Bertuzzi, recovering from a sore back, was questionable for tonight's game. With Justin Abdelkader and Kris Draper also injured, the possibility of Maltby, who was waived earlier this week and assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins, stepping into the lineup was very real.
Instead, Maltby will take the weekend to consider his options. Reportedly he is leaning towards retirement rather than accepting assignment to the American Hockey League.
Anyone recognize the music the players are being introduced to?
George Parros still plays for the Ducks? Damn.
Mule! Fantastic passing play there.
Mikey! Get that one out of the way.
Great start
What the hell was Ericsson doing behind the goal there? It almost worked, but what the hell?
Can't ask for much more than that from the first period of the season. Solid effort all around, only a couple mistakes. Was the fourth line only out there twice? I saw Miller and Helm but don't think I saw Eaves.
Are Ken and Mickey trying to jinx things?
Jesus, those guys are magic.
E limps off the bench? Well that's starting early this year.
I can't believe that was allowed. I thought the rule was the interpretation that they seem to have went with but after looking it up I think they made the wrong call.
Jimmy with the big save.
And Mike, my dad says "See you Sunday."
Way to take on that little bitch, Pavs. Way to f*cking go.
Howard
Jimmy Howard opens the season with a shutout. He didn't have to be spectacular but he was solid when he was needed. The 21 shots he faced weren't the 43 that Jonas Hiller saw at the other end of the ice but that's how the Wings play. Howard's going to need to be able to make the stops when he's not seeing a lot of action. He stopped them all tonight and you can't ask for more than that.
Datsyuk
On a night when a hometown hero comes back and scores a goal for his local team and a young goalie gets a shutout, you know something big happened when neither of those is the top item of the night.
Gordie Howe Hat-Trick. Pavel Datsyuk. There's a part of me that doesn't believe it.
Waking up in Afghanistan this morning I see:
4-0...
21 SOG against...
43 SOG for...
Smell like '08 (or maybe even '02ish?)...
And is Dats dropping the Lady Bing chase for the Hart? Let's hope so!
Anyone recognize the music the players are being introduced to?
Answering my own question, I'm pretty sure it's Two Steps from Hell, "Master of Shadows." Clicked in my head when I went back to do some video capture before deleting the game from my DVR.
I only saw bits and pieces of the game, but Datsyuk fighting Perry was pretty awesome. I'm excited to see how all the new players work out in the team because I didn't see any of the preseason stuff.
And this may be a dumb question, but are you really in Afghanistan? Or is that some kind of expression I've never heard before...
Todd Bertuzzi
Credit: Clark Rasmussen
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