Red Wings vs. Predators – Game 2

By Michael Caples –

In Game 1, the Red Wings were on the wrong side of the ‘puck-luck’ bounces. However, Game 2 turned out to be a little different for Detroit.

A shot from Brad Stuart that bounced into the Nashville goal after hitting Johan Franzen’s leg turned out to be the difference-maker in a 3-2 win for the Wings. Now, as the division foes head to Detroit for Game 3, the series is tied once again.

Ian White and Cory Emmerton also scored for the Wings, while Jimmy Howard made 24 saves to help them to their first win of the series. Andrei Kostitsyn and Shea Weber scored for the Predators.

Quick hits

• The Wings showed they weren’t happy with Weber’s headshots on Henrik Zetterberg in Game 1, as Todd Bertuzzi fought the Nashville captain just 1:36 into the contest.
• There were 17 penalties in Game 1, and 10 in Game 2. For the second game in a row, the Wings had seven penalties. The Predators cut their total from 10 to three.
• Once again, Detroit held Nashville scoreless on all of their power-play opportunities; the Predators had five different chances. However, the Red Wings failed to take advantage of the Predators’ trips to the sin bin, as well.
• Emmerton scored his first career playoff goal at the 15:33 mark of the first period. The Wings’ rookie blocked a shot from Kevin Klein and rushed up ice to create a two-on-one break. Unable to pass cross-ice to Gustav Nyquist, Emmerton took a shot from the left of the slot, and beat Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne to the top-left corner.
• The Red Wings managed to win with only 17 shots on goal, nine less than the Predators.
• Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter led all players in ice-time with 26:43. Jonathan Ericsson had the most of any Red Wing, recording 24:50. ‘Big E’ was plus-two with two giveaways, two takeaways, one hit and one shot on goal.