Open Game Thread
Detroit Red Wings at Colorado Avalanche
March 25, 2004 – 8:00 PM
Open Game Thread
Detroit Red Wings at Colorado Avalanche
March 25, 2004 – 8:00 PM
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Manny Legace turned in one of his best performances of the season, stopping 34 of the 35 shots he faced and earning the win as the Red Wings defeated the Colorado Avalanche, 3-1.
Legace faced 12 more shots than his counterpart in the Colorado nets, David Aebischer, but allowed one less goal and held the Avalanche scoreless while Detroit led by one late in the third period. He made a key save on Riku Hahl with three minutes remaining in the game and the Red Wings leading, 1-0. Thirty seconds later, Pavel Datsyuk scored the eventual game-winner.
The Red Wings were outshot, 12-5, in the first period but came away with the game’s first goal.
With Colorado’s Jim Cummins in the penalty box for high-sticking Kirk Maltby, Tomas Holmstrom got the puck below the right faceoff circle in the Avalanche zone. In a seemingly innocent play, Holmstrom skated to the faceoff circle and fired a quick shot over Aebischer’s far shoulder and into the net. At the 9:52 mark of the first period, the Red Wings were up a goal.
The score would not change until Datsyuk’s goal with 2:32 remaining in the game.
After Legace’s stop on Foote, the Red Wings sent the puck into the Colorado zone. Aebischer tried to cover the at the side of the goal but it bounced loose. While the Avs thought the puck was covered, it came free and Datsyuk put a shot into the vacated net to give the Red Wings a two-goal lead.
Henrik Zetterberg added an empty-net goal one minute later.
Colorado’s only goal of the game came just in time to spoil Legace’s shutout.
With 31 seconds remaining in the game, Steve Konowalchuk beat Legace but it wasn’t enough as the final score was 3-1.
After three starts in which he allowed 13 total goals, Legace was back in form with Curtis Joseph reinjured. Joseph did not dress for the game and Marc Lamothe was called up to backup Legace.
The Red Wings and Avalanche play again Saturday afternoon, closing their home-and-home series in Detroit.
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Curtis Joseph will not dress for tonight’s game in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche. Marc Lamothe has been called up from the Grand Rapids Griffins to backup Manny Legace.
Joseph tweaked his previously-injured right ankle during pre-game warmups in San Jose Tuesday night. Legace replaced him as the starter as the Red Wings lost to the Sharks, 5-2. Joseph will have an MRI exam when the Red Wings return to Detroit on Friday.
When asked about his status, Joseph described himself as day-to-day. He did not sound confident about being ready for the playoff opener.
“Usually, when I feel it, it’s just like a 30-second thing and then it goes away,” he said. “This didn’t go away for a little bit. But eventually it did.”
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