DETROIT 5, NASHVILLE 2
Winger Brendan Shanahan produced his first multi-point game since
Dec. 22. He started a four-goal second period with a goal and an
assist as the Red Wings beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 in the
music city.
"I knew with my impending free agency that the talk was going to
start at some point regardless of how the season was going," said
Shanahan, "To be on my shoulders is fine. I can handle it."
Shanahan now has scored three goals in his past six games after a
scoring drought of goals that lasted 15 games. During that stretch
trade rumors prevailed regarding Shanahan. "As much as I was snake
bitten, I didn't want anybody to be able to say I wasn't giving it
100 percent," Shanahan said. His hard work has finally paid off.
The goal was Shanahan's 20th this season, giving him 11 straight
seasons with at least 20 goals. He now has 383 career goals.
Along with Shanahan's scoring and the four-goal second period, the
Wings snapped a two-game losing streak. The Red Wings got going by
scoring three goals off just nine shots within the first eight
minutes of the second period.
Sergei Fedorov started the barrage, breaking a 1-1 tie with a wrist
shot from the left circle 31 seconds into the period. Shanahan set
up Kirk Maltby's goal with a pass from behind the net and then
scored himself three minutes later off a faceoff with a slap shot
from the top of the right circle at 7:57. Nicklas Lidstrom scored
after taking a cross ice pass from Larry Murphy for a 5-2 Detroit
lead 13:12 into the period. That was Lidstrom's 400 point of his
very productive career. The Professor Igor Larionov had the other
Red Wing goal.
DETROIT 4, EDMONTON 2
Sergei Fedorov had a goal and an assist and Chris Osgood had 29
saves as the Red Wings beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Fedorov has
scored goals in two straight games after getting only three in his
previous 16. When he and Brendan Shanahan started getting most of
the blame for the Red Wings' recent scoring struggles, Fedorov
blamed it on declining ice time. So head coach Scotty Bowman gave
him more ice time.
"I feel personally pretty good," Fedorov said. "I feel like I've
got more room and got my game in shape. I definitely enjoy myself
out there much more than I have." Playing on a line with Brendan
Shanahan and Steve Yzerman does not hurt either. He was also put
on a unit with Larry Murphy and Nicklas Lidstrom on the blue line.
"I think that five man unit played well together," Bowman said.
"It's going to help us because Murphy and Lidstrom are good
offensive players besides being good defensemen."
Fedorov netted his 14th goal to break a 1-1 tie in the second period
and helped set up Yzerman's 21st in the third. The Red Wings are
13-1 when Fedorov scores a goal and 14-22-4 when he doesn't. So it
is about time that he has found his touch again. "It's like I've
said, if we rely on each other and count on each other, we look to
ourselves for solutions," Shanahan said. The hot Vyacheslav Kozlov
and Marty Lapointe scored the Wings other goals.
The Wings' second line of Kozlov, Lapointe, and Igor Larionov has
been playing very well as of late. They are clicking and the Wings
as a whole seem to be firing on all cylinders at the moment.
DETROIT 2, CHICAGO 1
The Red Wings seem to be regaining their winning touch. A touch that
has been pretty much absent all season long on a consistent basis.
Two power-play goals and sharp goaltending by Chris Osgood gave them
their third straight win, a 2-1 decision over the rival Chicago
Blackhawks.
"I think our play has turned around somewhat," said defenseman
Larry Murphy. Murphy's goal at 5:16 of the third period snapped a
1-1 tie and stood up as the game winner. "Obviously, we're not
where we want to be, but it seems we're moving in the right
direction and finding ways to win. And hats off to Chris Osgood.
He made some big saves for us."
Osgood stopped 25 of 26 Blackhawk shots, including a point blank
attempt by Eric Daze with three minutes remaining in the third
period. "I've been playing the way I'd like to since Christmas,"
Osgood said. "Earlier, we we're taking games for granted and losing
by one goal. But now, we're playing with the emotion and drive
we're used to, so we're winning close games instead of losing
them."
Murphy scored the game winner when he took a pass in the slot from
Sergei Fedorov and shot the puck past goaltender Jocelyn Thibault
from about 20 feet out to make it 2-1.
The goal was Murphy's ninth of the season and gave him 38 points,
tied with St. Louis' Al Macinnis for the NHL defenseman scoring
lead. Martin Lapointe also scored. The Wings improved to 4-0-0
against Chicago this season. Lapointe tied it 1-1 with a
power-play score at 5:33 of the second period. The game was
seemingly more lopsided than the scored indicated as the Wings
dominated play for most of the game.
DETROIT 4, N.Y. RANGERS 2
The Wings were up by three goals and nearly blew the game as the
Rangers almost came back to win. But the Wings are usually very
good at protecting leads. They did enough protecting to beat the
New York Rangers 4-2. The game had Scotty Bowman very nervous. "We
had a game like this before, we were up by four and nearly lost
it," Bowman said. "Yeah, I was concerned."
Ozzie played sweet between the pipes. "Osgood was solid," Bowman
said. "The goaltending has been great and Fedorov and Yzerman have
been tough to stop." Captain Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov each
had a goal in a three goal first period before the Red Wings held
off a late surge by the Rangers. The Red Wings improved to 22-0-1
when leading after the second period. It was the fourth straight
victory for the defending champions.
Osgood made 29 saves in the win. Nicklas Lidstrom, assisting from
Yzerman scored an empty netter for the final margin. "We knew we
had to come out strong against this team," Fedorov said. "They
almost scored a tying goal. It wasn't our best play. But
eventually, we held onto it and Osgood made a few stops and gave
us a chance to win this game."
The Red Wings improved their Central Division lead to 11 points over
St. Louis. Petr Klima, playing his first game in the NHL in two
years, also scored for the Red Wings. It was his first goal for the
Wings in 10 years since he last played for Detroit before being
traded away. A nice home coming of sorts. He faked a slap shot and
let a writser go on the short side.
DETROIT 3, SAN JOSE 1
Former Red Wing Mike Vernon was Chris Osgood's teacher two years
ago. Now, they have a friendly rivalry, and Osgood has a leg up on
boasting. Brendan Shanahan scored the game winning goal, but it
was Osgood's near excellent play that kept the Wings in the game
as the Red Wings defeated the San Jose Sharks, 3-1, for their
fifth straight win.
It also was Ozzie's fifth straight victory as well. He had 30 saves
in the win. Vernon made 23 saves against his former team. "They
were a hot team," said Osgood, "We had our moments, but we didn't
play as well as we have lately."
It was the first time Osgood and Vernon, best friends off the ice,
squared off this season. Norm Maracle was in goal for the Red
Wings in both earlier meetings, which the teams tied. "We really
don't talk about it much when we play each other," Osgood said.
"It's not a serious battle. It's definitely fun playing against
him. I get bragging rights in the summer." Vyacheslav Kozlov and
Dougie Brown also scored for the Wings.
Brendan Shanahan snapped a 1-1 tie with his 21st goal 31 seconds
into the second period. Brown's insurance goal, his eighth, came
while both sides were short a man at 4:56 of the third period.
Kozlov's 14th goal in the first period gave Detroit a 1-0 lead. He
took a nice pass from Igor Larionov and sneaked a shot from the
slot under the glove of Mike Vernon, who was screened by Darren
McCarty.
DETROIT 3, NEW JERSEY 1
Steve Yzerman scored two goals and the Detroit Red Wings won their
sixth straight game, beating the New Jersey Devils 3-1. "That was
a great game by Stevie," Sergei Fedorov said. "I enjoyed him. It
was pretty to watch." Not as pretty as some tennis players yet
still very pretty. Chris Osgood made 21 saves in the win. Igor
Larionov also scored.
Yzerman gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead with an unassisted goal with
4:24 left in the first period, just seconds after Kris Draper
finished serving a penalty. "It wasn't just tonight. Yzerman does
that all the time," Devil forward Bobby Holik said. "He's been
doing it for 15 years. He's not slowing down any time soon. He
showed us again that you can't give him any room to breathe. He's
just a great hockey player."
Larionov made it 2-0 with his 10th goal at 6:31 of the second.
Yzerman's 24th goal and second of the night came at 8:22 of the
second period on an assist from goalie Chris Osgood. It was an end
to end rush. But that wasnt the only moment of the game. Bad blood
between the two teams stemmed from their previous meeting when
Krzysztof Oliwa injured two players. Early in the first period
Darren McCarty and Oliwa went toe to toe in a battle. The brawl
came at 9:12, exactly six seconds after the two had stepped back
on the ice from serving minors following some bumping and trash
talking. McCarty, giving up four inches and 20 pounds, took the
pretty much the worst of it as Oliwa knocked off his helmet, and
fell to the ice on top of him.
BUFFALO 4, DETROIT 4 (OT)
Almost five goals! Not quite but a hat trick is pretty cool. Kozlov
scored three goals to help forge a 4-4 tie with the Hasek-less
Buffalo Sabres. Getting the nod with the playmaker was Igor
Larionov. "He held the puck while I picked up my speed, and he
gave me some nice passes," said Kozlov, "There were two or three
players around him and he still found the open spot."
Kozlov's long shot from the top of the faceoff circle midway through
the third period deflected off a defenseman's stick and allowed
Kozlov to finish with a goal in each period of the game. It was the
third career hat trick for Kozlov. Kozzie nearly won it when his
shot hit the crossbar in overtime. "I tried to fake a couple of
times," Kozlov said. "He went down and I just missed it."
Sergei Fedorov scored the other goal for the Red Wings, whose
winning streak was snapped at six games.
The Wings carried the play most of the game as they have been in
recent weeks.
Some final thoughts...
It's crunch time and the Wings are definitely gelling. The trading
deadline is sure to bring someone in to shore up the defense.
Playing so well with some key players still injured can only be a
bonus. The resurgence of Shanahan and Fedorov bodes well for the
team in the final quarter. The Wings are hot and it is about time,
that's for sure. Nonetheless they still do not have a great record
against the better teams in the league and will need to dwell on
that issue in the upcoming weeks before the playoffs arrive. What
remains to be seen is what this team is really made of and capable
of. The greatest and toughest tasks lie ahead.
