Canucks end Red Wings’ historic win streak

By Matt Mackinder –

DETROIT – The streak is over.

The Red Wings’ home winning streak ended at an NHL-record 23 games Thursday night as the Vancouver Canucks got a late goal from Daniel Sedin to tie the game and then the game-winner from Alex Burrows in the shootout to beat Detroit, 4-3, at a sold-out Joe Louis Arena.

Emotions ran high all night between the two teams and after Burrows scored the only goal in the shootout, he did a stick-breaking gesture over his knee to symbolize the snapping of the Wings’ streak.

“It’s nice that we’re the team that ended the streak,” said Burrows. “It’s remarkable to win that many games in a row on home ice.”

Justin Abdelkader had given the Red Wings a 3-2 lead at 13:46 of the third period, just 20 seconds after Cody Hodgson knotted the game for Vancouver.

The topic of the streak wasn’t brought up very often during its run, but Red Wings’ coach Mike Babcock talked about it after the game.

“(The streak) is beyond impressive,” said Babcock. “I don’t care what era, and I’m not comparing it to anything, but it’s been a real good run for the Red Wings and it set us up to be in a good position playoff-wise. Now we got to get playing again at a high level. This team is only good if we’re skating and crisp with the puck and we weren’t tonight.”

Kyle Quincey made his season debut with the Red Wings after being acquired from Tampa Bay on Tuesday and played most of the game paired on the blue line with Jonathan Ericsson.

Quincey took two penalties in the second period for the Red Wings, but more than atoned for his miscues with a goal at 6:08 of the third period. At the time, the goal put Detroit ahead, 2-1.

Abdelkader found Quincey in the slot and he wound up and beat Roberto Luongo (33 saves) high blocker side.

Still, a win would have been a better start to Quincey’s second stint with Detroit, the team that drafted him back in 2003.

“The first period was rough, but I felt way better as the game went on,” said Quincey. “That’s a very good hockey team over there. I don’t think we played the way we’re capable of for the first couple periods. It’s frustrating how we lost, but these are games that are fun to play in.”

Jimmy Howard (40 saves) was stellar in goal for Detroit, especially in the first period, stopping all 17 shots he faced, but none better than the Henrik Sedin shot from in close with almost six minutes gone. He also stopped David Booth on a partial breakaway in the waning minutes of the third period.

Darren Helm opened the scoring at 11:16 of the first when he used Abdelkader as a decoy on a two-on-one and flipped the puck past Luongo, who plain fanned on the shot that went stick side.

The Canucks tied it on a Daniel Sedin goal at 13:34 of the second period. Alexander Edler wristed a shot from the left point that hit Henrik Sedin and deflected to Daniel, who beat a sliding Howard at the right post.

Luongo ended the second period making four big saves as the Wings hurried to take the lead prior to the buzzer.

With 15.4 seconds left in the third, Daniel Sedin wired a shot from the point past a screened Howard to send the game to overtime.

“In the end, you can’t tempt fate,” said Babcock.

NOTES: Todd Bertuzzi bobbleheads were given out to the first 7,500 fans …Booth and Ryan Kesler, both Michigan natives, started the game for the Canucks on a line with Mason Raymond … The game was also Booth’s first-ever NHL game at Joe Louis Arena … The 50/50 raffle winner took home $4900 and change … Quincey wore No. 27.