Three Questions: Wings-Senators
DRW.com's Michael Caples analyzes the Wings' first road game
Saturday, 10.11.2008 / 10:19 PM
/ News
By Michael Caples
- DetroitRedWings.com Intern
Is the monkey off the Red Wings’ back?
With a bounce off a shin, Detroit’s quest to repeat is underway. Johan Franzen’s goal at 18:43 of the third period capped off a comeback win for the Red Wings, giving them the all-important first win of the season. Franzen took matters into his own hands, tallying both the game-tying and game-winning goals; helping Detroit shake off the slight rust buildup from the summer in the process. The first win of the season is always the hardest, and I expect that Franzen’s antics have gotten the ball rolling for the rest of his teammates. The Red Wings have too much offensive power to be held at bay, and now that they’ve gotten that first strike, they’re going to be hard to stop.
What was the goal of the game?
I’m going with Johan Franzen’s first goal of the night, coming at the halfway point of the second period. I’m not only choosing this goal because of the sniper-like accuracy of Franzen’s wrist shot over goaltender Martin Gerber’s shoulder, but because of Nicklas Lidstrom’s vision. Lidstrom caught the Senators in a line change, and fired the puck up to Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg, who were both anxiously awaiting a possible odd-man break. Zetterberg sent a touch pass over to ‘Mule’, and he walked in on the left wing and made it count, changing the game in the Red Wings’ favor. Without Lidstrom’s pass, the Wings could have been at the losing end Saturday night.
What was the best save of the game?
Goaltender Chris Osgood kept the game tied at one apiece in the second period, when Ottawa forward Nick Filigno walked out into the slot and flipped it towards the Red Wings’ goal. The puck ricocheted off defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who was standing at the right post, and started heading into the net. Osgood reached back, knocked it out of the air, then cleared it from the crease – just one of his 20 saves in the 3-2 road win.
With a bounce off a shin, Detroit’s quest to repeat is underway. Johan Franzen’s goal at 18:43 of the third period capped off a comeback win for the Red Wings, giving them the all-important first win of the season. Franzen took matters into his own hands, tallying both the game-tying and game-winning goals; helping Detroit shake off the slight rust buildup from the summer in the process. The first win of the season is always the hardest, and I expect that Franzen’s antics have gotten the ball rolling for the rest of his teammates. The Red Wings have too much offensive power to be held at bay, and now that they’ve gotten that first strike, they’re going to be hard to stop.
What was the goal of the game?
I’m going with Johan Franzen’s first goal of the night, coming at the halfway point of the second period. I’m not only choosing this goal because of the sniper-like accuracy of Franzen’s wrist shot over goaltender Martin Gerber’s shoulder, but because of Nicklas Lidstrom’s vision. Lidstrom caught the Senators in a line change, and fired the puck up to Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg, who were both anxiously awaiting a possible odd-man break. Zetterberg sent a touch pass over to ‘Mule’, and he walked in on the left wing and made it count, changing the game in the Red Wings’ favor. Without Lidstrom’s pass, the Wings could have been at the losing end Saturday night.
What was the best save of the game?
Goaltender Chris Osgood kept the game tied at one apiece in the second period, when Ottawa forward Nick Filigno walked out into the slot and flipped it towards the Red Wings’ goal. The puck ricocheted off defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who was standing at the right post, and started heading into the net. Osgood reached back, knocked it out of the air, then cleared it from the crease – just one of his 20 saves in the 3-2 road win.
