Nyquist’s goal in overtime gives Red Wings Game 2 win

By Nick Barnowski –

After a rough outing offensively in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal series against the Anaheim Ducks, the Red Wings offense came alive Friday night en route to a 5-4 win.

It wasn’t easy, though. The Ducks scored three goals in the final 7:50 of play to tie the game at four, forcing overtime.

But Gustav Nyquist wasn’t going to let the Wings completely blow a 4-1 lead.

Just 1:21 into the overtime period, Nyquist scored the biggest goal of his young career to win the game for Detroit, tying the series at one.

Valtteri Filppula made a nifty move with the puck in the righthand side of the slot, toe-dragging it around a defender before finding Nyquist open in front of the net. Nyquist’s shot to the top corner gave him his first NHL playoff goal, and the game-winner for the Red Wings.

Jimmy Howard made 28 saves for his 14th career postseason win.

Jonas Hiller stopped 27 in the loss.

Forty-eight seconds into the game, Justin Abdelkader carried the puck into the Anaheim zone and ripped a shot past Hiller to put the Wings up 1-0 early in the first.

Less than five minutes later, a giveaway by Teemu Selanne gave way to a wide-open Damien Brunner in the slot, where he found the net behind Hiller to make it 2-0.

The Red Wings continued the pressure heading into the second period.

A little over a minute in, the Red Wings capitalized on the power play.

Brunner picked up a missed Pavel Datsyuk shot on the side of the net. Brunner’s shot hit the post but ricocheted out into the crease, where Johan Franzen jammed the puck underneath Hiller to further the lead to 3-0.

Halfway into the second Anaheim struck for their first goal of the game, coming on the power play. A Selanne shot was rebounded straight to Saku Koivu, who directed it in from skate to stick past Jimmy Howard.

Continuing the trend of power-play goals in the game, Franzen struck early in the third period for the Red Wings, his second goal of the game. He corralled the puck down in the Anaheim corner and made a power move to the front of the net, sliding it past Hiller.

The Ducks weren’t giving in though.

Ryan Getzlaf scored midway through the third to make it 4-2. Then, seconds after a Kyle Quincey penalty had expired, a wrist shot by Kyle Palmieri found its way past Jimmy Howard, cutting the deficit to one.

With a little under four minutes left, Bobby Ryan scored to tie the game at four.

Game 3 is Saturday at Joe Louis Arena.