Avs claim shootout win in Detroit
Thursday, 09.21.2006 / 12:00 AM
/ News
Detroit Red Wings
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DETROIT _ The Red Wings got a glimpse of the future Thursday night in the team's pre-season home opener at Joe Louis Arena.
Rookie goalie Joey MacDonald thrilled the Detroit fans with a spectacular effort that pushed the game into a deciding shootout against Colorado. Unfortunately for the Wings, it was the Avalanche that claimed a 3-2 win when they outscored the Wings, 2-1, in the shootout.
Avs rookie Paul Stastny, the son of former great Peter Stastny, slipped the deciding goal between MacDonald's legs.
The Wings were fortunate to reach the shootout. That's because Colorado entered the overtime period with 1:35 left in a one man-advantage. Moments into the extra session, the Wings found themselves down two skaters for more than a minute when Niklas Kronwell was assessed a hooking penalty. But MacDonald bailed the team out by making several key saves from close range.
"I thought Osgood and MacDonald played great in net," Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "It was nice to see. I thought we didn't skate tonight. We were always stopping. We were in the box a lot and I just thought they had a younger line-up and they played like they had a younger line-up."
Power-play goals had been the story through the first 40-minutes. Nicklas Lidstrom struck first with a power-play goal in the first period. With plenty of traffic, provided by Tomas Holmstrom and Robert Lang, in front of the Colorado net, Lidstrom whistled a slap shot from the blue line past goalie Jose Theodore for a 1-0 lead. Lidstrom's goal came on the Wings' second power-play opportunity of the period. Holmstrom and Jiri Hudler assisted on the goal at 15:56.
Wings goalie Chris Osgood was spectacular, holding the Avalanche off the board, turning away all 10 Colorado shots in the period. Osgood, who was replaced by rookie Joey MacDonald between the pipes in the third period, finished with 22 saves.
But Colorado knotted the score midway through the second period. With a man-advantage, Colorado's Mark Rycroft beat Osgood by lifting a shot into the top of the net, at 10:09 of the period.
The teams exchanged even-strength goals early in the third period. Hudler scored his first goal of the pre-season giving the Wings a 2-1 advantage. Parked to the side of the Avs net, he picked up a loose puck and buried it in the back of the net.
Colorado tied the game for the second time when center Brett McLean stole the puck near the blue line, skated in unopposed, and sent a wrist shot over MacDonald's glove hand at 7:24 of the third.
With 4:31 in regulation, Lidstrom was frustrated when he missed on a power-play chance, firing a wrist shot from the slot into the chest of rookie goalie Tyler Weiman.
Rookie goalie Joey MacDonald thrilled the Detroit fans with a spectacular effort that pushed the game into a deciding shootout against Colorado. Unfortunately for the Wings, it was the Avalanche that claimed a 3-2 win when they outscored the Wings, 2-1, in the shootout.
Avs rookie Paul Stastny, the son of former great Peter Stastny, slipped the deciding goal between MacDonald's legs.
The Wings were fortunate to reach the shootout. That's because Colorado entered the overtime period with 1:35 left in a one man-advantage. Moments into the extra session, the Wings found themselves down two skaters for more than a minute when Niklas Kronwell was assessed a hooking penalty. But MacDonald bailed the team out by making several key saves from close range.
"I thought Osgood and MacDonald played great in net," Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "It was nice to see. I thought we didn't skate tonight. We were always stopping. We were in the box a lot and I just thought they had a younger line-up and they played like they had a younger line-up."
Power-play goals had been the story through the first 40-minutes. Nicklas Lidstrom struck first with a power-play goal in the first period. With plenty of traffic, provided by Tomas Holmstrom and Robert Lang, in front of the Colorado net, Lidstrom whistled a slap shot from the blue line past goalie Jose Theodore for a 1-0 lead. Lidstrom's goal came on the Wings' second power-play opportunity of the period. Holmstrom and Jiri Hudler assisted on the goal at 15:56.
Wings goalie Chris Osgood was spectacular, holding the Avalanche off the board, turning away all 10 Colorado shots in the period. Osgood, who was replaced by rookie Joey MacDonald between the pipes in the third period, finished with 22 saves.
But Colorado knotted the score midway through the second period. With a man-advantage, Colorado's Mark Rycroft beat Osgood by lifting a shot into the top of the net, at 10:09 of the period.
The teams exchanged even-strength goals early in the third period. Hudler scored his first goal of the pre-season giving the Wings a 2-1 advantage. Parked to the side of the Avs net, he picked up a loose puck and buried it in the back of the net.
Colorado tied the game for the second time when center Brett McLean stole the puck near the blue line, skated in unopposed, and sent a wrist shot over MacDonald's glove hand at 7:24 of the third.
With 4:31 in regulation, Lidstrom was frustrated when he missed on a power-play chance, firing a wrist shot from the slot into the chest of rookie goalie Tyler Weiman.
