Miller, third line help Red Wings post another home win
By Michael Caples –
DETROIT – At this point, it seems to be a routine.
The Red Wings posted a 3-2 win over San Jose Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena, marking their 23rd consecutive win on home ice.
Game after game, the Wings continue to build on their new NHL record.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Drew Miller said. “We keep winning and winning, and I don’t know, it’s one of those streaks that was around for so long, and now we’ve a couple games past it. I think it’s going to be pretty tough to touch it now.”
Miller, along with linemates Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm, played a crucial role in yet another home win. The Lansing native had a goal and an assist, while fellow Michigan State alum Abdelkader set him up for the goal (and dropped the gloves with Ryane Clowe). Plus, Helm had the game-winning goal with a rocket from the slot (off a feed from Miller) at the 7:01 mark of the third period – his first goal since Jan. 16.
“I think we work hard out there,” Miller said when asked about his line’s play. “In the past couple seasons, that’s the way we were kind of brought up, you’ve got to work hard and earn your ice time. Now we’re getting a little bit more of a role on the team, and getting a little more of an opportunity to play, and the puck is going in for us. So it’s good, and it’s good for the team. You’ve got to have that secondary scoring from your third and fourth lines.”
Coach Mike Babcock said that the play from the trio was what jumpstarted the Red Wings’ offense.
“They were real good,” Babcock said. “Obviously they’re good killing penalties, they give us momentum every time they’re on the ice; they play fast, they play hard. Sometimes in these games, because it’s so tight checking, your skilled guys who want to make plays every time down the ice have a harder time than you’re people who go straight ahead. The ones going straight ahead had success early, and then the other guys got with it and did the same thing.”
Miller, who scored on a play where his centering pass got deflected back to him and he fired the puck past a sprawling Antti Niemi, is continuing to build on a career year. His 12 goals and 22 points are both career-high numbers.
“I reached ten goals last year playing on the fourth line, and this year, getting a chance to play on the third line, you want to make the most of the opportunity,” Miller said. “One thing I’ve tried to do is be around the net more and shoot more, and the puck’s going in the net, so it’s good, and you want to keep going.”
Assistant captain Henrik Zetterberg, who recorded the Wings’ first goal, said that Miller, Abdelkader and Helm have been an integral part of the Red Wings’ win streak.
“They played really well,” Zetterberg said. “They’ve been good all year, and coming up with big goals and huge plays. Not just when they score goals, they’re really good getting momentum for us, and creating penalties and working really hard in their end.”