Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey

Detroit’s ‘most complete game’ helps Red Wings blank Sharks

(Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey)
Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey

 

By @StefanKubus –

DETROIT – The Red Wings have won four in a row with Saturday night’s 3-0 shutout of the San Jose Sharks, but it’s their “process” that Jeff Blashill always references that has the team encouraged.

Thanks to a pair of Gustav Nyquist goals, a 30-save shutout from Jimmy Howard, Andreas Athanasiou’s first of the year and stalwart defensive play, the Red Wings thwarted a potent San Jose Sharks squad Saturday night, a 3-0 final.

For Howard, though he may not be the starting netminder, he’s proving he’s ready whenever called upon.

“He got a chance there against the Rangers and really stole that game for us and again played really, really well tonight,” Nyquist said of Howard. “Nice to see him get the shutout.”

Fans even chanted his name on a couple occasions throughout the game in appreciation of his efforts.

“It was great to hear them chant my name, but all in all, that was probably our most complete game so far as a team,” Howard said. “I thought we really executed really well tonight, especially on the PK because that’s a very dangerous power play.”


Photos by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey

Nyquist opened the scoring at 4:14 of the middle frame to get his second goal in as many games. Jonathan Ericsson poked the puck up to Nyquist, who had a 2-on-1 with Thomas Vanek going to the net. Nyquist elected to shoot and ripped one bar down past Jones to give the Wings the contest’s first goal.

“He’s a goal scorer; they need to score goals,” Zetterberg said of Nyquist. “He’s really taking advantage of his chances he’s been getting here. I think he’s been playing well with Helm and Vanek. That’s been a good line for us.”

Nyquist added his second of the tilt with just under five minutes to play in the second period, taking a between-the-legs Ryan Sproul pass, stepping in and firing one home. That came seconds after Dylan Larkin almost set up Sproul for a goal with a low shot on Jones that generated a rebound.

Though Larkin continues to search for his first goal of the season, Blashill said if he just keeps doing what he’s been doing, the offense will come.

“I grabbed him tonight and told him he played really, really well. He created tons of chances. Kind of like the talk I had with Nyqy and Tats before they scored. You keep doing what you’re doing, the puck’s gonna go in the net. I thought he was excellent for the most part tonight.”

Meanwhile Sproul continues to look comfortable on the Wings’ blue line and power-play unit. He picked up his second helper in as many games on Nyquist’s second tally.

“He’s playing within himself, he’s not forcing anything, he’s taking what’s given and that’s a good sign of maturity,” Howard said of Sproul.

Vanek had a close call early in the third, as he turned over a puck just inside the San Jose blue line as the last man back. But he was able to track it down, turn up ice an hit Athanasiou with a stretch pass. Athanasiou skated down the left wing and blast a slap shot in the far corner from the circle to put Detroit up by three.

“That was probably the best game he’s had for me in the regular season,” Blashill said of Athanasiou. “It was a heck of a play by Vanek to track to get the puck and then zip it up to AA, and it was obviously a good finish by him. I thought AA was skating pretty good tonight, so he took good strides.”

Howard was sharp the rest of the way out, shutting the door on the reigning Western Conference champion when the Sharks pulled Jones for the extra attacker late in the contest.

“Every time you play, you get to measure yourself and see what you’re about, and we got to measure ourselves against two real good teams,” Blashill said. “They both had good success last year in the playoffs.

“I thought we were good last night in a lot of ways, but I thought we were even better tonight. That’s a real good team there. I thought we definitely took steps forward. Now our job’s to come Monday and take another step forward. We’re gonna have to continue to get better as a hockey team, but I’ve liked our game here in the last couple games.”