Power outage doesn’t stop Red Wings in 5-3 win over Canucks

 

By Stefan Kubus –

DETROIT – A 34-minute power outage 29 seconds into the game didn’t prevent Detroit from executing its game plan in a Sunday afternoon matinee against the Vancouver Canucks.

Two-point outings from captain Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk helped propel Detroit to a 5-3 victory and four-game winning streak. Gustav Nyquist registered his league-leading seventh power play goal, Danny DeKeyser scored his first of the season and Niklas Kronwall potted his fourth of the season, while Jimmy Howard stopped 30 of 33 for the 14-5-5 Red Wings.

“I didn’t think we were near as good as we can be,” head coach Mike Babcock said. “I thought we turned over some pucks, I thought we backed in a little bit, but we did enough good things to win and found a way to win the game.”

The head coach joked about the power outage after the game.

“For a bit there, I thought we didn’t pay our bill.”

Kronwall said the team either stayed active or watched some football during the 34-minute waiting period, but said that having the outage at the beginning of the game was easier to adapt to rather than during the middle.

“Everything and nothing,” Kronwall said of his team’s activity during the break. “A lot of guys just walked around, some guys were watching TV just trying to do something to stay active.

“I think it’s weird for everyone, not just us players, but for the fans and I’m sure for the refs, as well. That’s the beauty with The Joe; it’s been around for a long time, kind of the charm of it. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Just 3:15 into the opening period, Kronwall took a pass from partner Jonathan Ericsson, stepped in and wired a wrister over Vancouver netminder Ryan Miller’s right shoulder for his fourth of the season. It was also his 311th career point, which ended Miller’s shutout streak at 155:20 dating back to Nov. 23, and also passed Mickey Redmond for 28th all-time in DET franchise scoring history.

Ten seconds into an Alex Burrows high-sticking penalty, Zetterberg set up Nyquist for a cross-ice one-timer at 11:16 to give Nyquist his 11th of the season and seventh power play marker on the year to tie him with Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin for the league lead.

Vancouver responded with a power play goal of its own at 2:37 of the middle frame, as Linden Vey’s shot from the high slot beat Howard to pull the Canucks to within one.

Datsyuk added an insurance marker on the power play late in the second period to extend the lead to 3-1. Jakub Kindl took a pass in front from Riley Sheahan behind the net,  then quickly dished a pass behind his back for a Tomas Tatar one-timer. Miller made a huge save, but Datsyuk managed to get a stick on the rebound as Vancouver defenseman Luca Sbisa simultaneously swatted the puck into his own goal.

Justin Abdelkader was not on the bench to begin the third period, and it was later announced by the team that he would not return due to an upper-body injury. After the game, Babcock said the Muskegon native should be considered day-to-day with a shoulder issue.

At 12:26 of the final period, Vancouver again pulled to within one, as it looked like former Red Wings forward Shawn Matthias tipped home a Yannick Weber point shot. But quickly after and in his 100th career NHL game, DeKeyser put the Red Wings ahead again by a pair with his first of the season. Tomas Jurco drew an assist to give him seven points in his last seven games to continue his hot play since being reinserted into the Red Wings’ lineup.

But the pesky Canucks hung around and responded to the DeKeyser goal. With Miller on the bench and just under four minutes to play, Vey potted his second of the game. The goal was reviewed for a kicking motion, but it was confirmed to be a good goal, as the call on the ice was.

“I hate to give up the empty-net goal when the goaltender’s out because we didn’t execute like we should,” Babcock said.

Datsyuk capped off the game and a roller coaster third period with an empty-netter for a 5-3 final, his second of the contest and eighth of the year.

“It means that we’re doing things right,” Zetterberg said of the four-game winning streak. “Maybe it hasn’t been perfect all the time, but in the end, we’re winning games, and I think that’s a strength to have when you’re not playing your greatest, but you still find ways to win games and we did that tonight again.”

Sunday’s contest marked the first game of a four-game home stand, as Detroit plays host to the Florida Panthers Tuesday night.