Let's Watch the Red Wings and the Canucks!

Just underway here at the JLA.  A battle of division leaders tonight, and undisputed possession of first place in the overall NHL standings on the line with Vancouver in town--not to mention Detroit's League-record 23-game home ice win streak.

I hate to say it, but I think this is the night the streak ends.  The Wings are without Pavel Datsyuk (knee surgery earlier this week) and without him...well, it's like the Wings without Howe, or without Yzerman.  The impact is the same.

Datsyuk, who had bone fragments removed from his right knee, will miss two weeks.  Thank God for modern medicine.  The same procedure only  few years ago, would have been season-ending.

We are 3:13 in, and the Wings are going on the power play.

Vancouver was all over Detroit, even with Detroit a man to the good.  The best save of the power play was made by the Wings Jimmy Howard as the shorthanded Canucks got a man open in the high slot.  Howard made a couple more beauties right after the penalty expired.  Vancouver has outshot the Wings here in the first 6 minutes 5-2.

Shots are 9-3, Canucks as we approach the halfway point of the first.  Vancouver had their first power play and the Wings killed it off nicely, very nicely indeed.

Darren Helm just stole the puck inside his own line and, on a 2-1, Helm, one of the fastest skaters in the NHL went all the way down and cut out in front to score.  He sort of fanned on his shot, scooping it more than shooting it, which fooled Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo who it appeared was expecting a harder shot.  It is the 7th of the year for Helm and it comes at 11:16.  First Period: Detroit 1, Vancouver 0.


The Wings are about to go on the power play for the third time in this first period.  Incredibly, Detroit has been outshot so far 16-4.  But they continue to lead.  We are simply not accustomed to a shot board looking the way the one here in Detroit does right now, especially since the Wings have been such a dominant first period team during this home win streak of theirs.  But, as we say, here comes Detroit on the power play again.  3:02 left, First Period: Detroit 1, Vancouver 0.


Well, there you go.  The first period ends and Detroit, though outplayed as evidenced by the 17-5 edge for Vancouver in chances, has the lead on the goal by Helm.  It was and one thought it would be: a tough period of hockey between two of the best teams in the league.  Howard was his usual amazing self and if he can keep it up, the Wings will, of course, have a chance to steal this thing.  The absence of Datsyuk was evident on the power play, Detroit had three of them as we mentioned (Vancouver had one) and they failed to generate a single Class A scoring chance in any of them.  This is what happens when your best playmaker isn't on the ice. And still, the Wings lead.  Stay tuned, etc.  END OF FIRST PERIOD: DETROIT 1, VANCOUVER 0.



They ran out of Game Notes before I got here tonight (long story and no, it wasn't the weather, it hasn't started snowing yet) so I have pulled them off line.  Would you like to read them? Here you go.

We mentioned the Wings didn't generate a lot during those three power plays?  I just went and looked through the official play-by-play.  On the 3 PP's, the Wings managed a grand total of one (1) shot on goal.

As the second period begins, we note that Kyle Quincy, acquired for Detroit's #1 Draft Choice this year (2012) is wearing #27.  I was wondering who would sit with Quincy on the roster.  I figured Jakub Kindl or Mike Commodore and I was right, in a sense.  Both are healthy scratches in this game tonight.  Quincy played 7 minutes in the first and had 2 hits and 1 blocked shot.  EARLY SECOND: DETROIT 1, VANCOUVER 0.


Quincy, we should mention, is paired with Jonathan Ericsson on the defense tonight.  He, Quincy, just took his first penalty of this, his second stint with Detroit, but the Wings killed it off  13:00 left, 2nd Period: DETROIT 1, VANCOUVER 0.


Quincy has just drawn his second consecutive penalty at 6:52 of the period and the Canucks are on the PP for the 3rd time--same # of opps now as Detroit in the game.

With the teams skating 4-on-4, the Sedins strike.  Daniel slides if past Howard after a shot from the line caromed off Henrik right to him.  The goal comes at 13:34.  Under 6 to go in the 2nd Period: DETROIT 1, VANCOUVER 1.


The Wings almost took the lead in a wild flurry at the end of the period which included a blind catch by Luongo of a puck which was behind him, but which he grabbed with a backhand stab off his left buttock.  No way he saw it, but somehow he snagged it.  The Wings outshot the Canucks 15-8 in the period after being outshot 17-5 in the first.  It has been what you would have expected it to be: The top 2 teams in the Western Conference putting on a heck of a show.  END OF TWO PERIODS: DETROIT 1, VANCOUVER 1.


Kyle Quincy makes his debut memorable by giving Detroit a 2-1 lead with 13:52 left in the game.  He took a pass in he slot and beat Luongo high stick side for his 6th of the season and first as a Wing.  Assists to Justin Abdelkader and Helm at 6:08.  THIRD PERIOD: DETROIT 2, VANCOUVER 1.


A VANCOUVER SHOT FROM THE LINE HITS KRONWALL AND GOES IN PAST HOWARD TO TIE THE GAME 2-2...BUT SECONDS LATER, THE WINGS CRASH THE NET AND ABDEKADER SCORES!!!  3-2, DETROIT WITH 6:14 TO GO. THE GOALS, ONE PER SIDE, COME TWENTY SECONDS APART.  IT IS # 7 FOR ABDELKADER.  THIRD PERIOD: DETROIT 3, VANCOUVER 2.


Howard stops David Booth on a breakaway with 1:38 left.  Vancouver calls tie with 1:08 to go and a faceoff in the Canucks end.

At 19:44, with 15.4 seconds left, Daniel sedin scores his second of the night off a feed from behind the net by his twin Henrik.  The goal comes with the Vancouver goalie pulled for the extra attacker.  We go to overtime here in Detroit.  End Regulation: DETROIT 3, VANCOUVER 3.


Great overtime.  Cleary had the best chance for Detroit with a one-timer from 12 feet out in front and Luongo stickless, but he fired it up into the tender when a shot along the ice might have ended it.  Scramble in front of Detroit net ends with Howard finally finding and covering the puck with 1.4 seconds left.  And so, on to the shootout.  Final shots: Van 43, Det 36.

ALEXANDER BURROUGHS SCORES THE ONLY GOAL IN SHOOTOUT (WINGS WERE 0/3) AND VANCOUVER ENDS DETROIT'S HOME WIN STREAK AT 23.  DETROIT STILL HAS POINTS IN 24 STRAIGHT, THOUGH.  OFF TO THE DRESSING ROOM AND GOOD NIGHT FROM DETROIT.  FINAL: DETROIT 3, VANCOUVER 4 (SO).