|
 Niklas Kronwall had a goal and an assist and Jakub Kindl and
Brendan Smith also scored and Detroit beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2
at Joe Louis Arena.
"Sometimes I feel like we've been up and rushing it some other games
but the puck went in for the D-men today, so it's a little bit
different, easier to say that. But I think that we made good plays,"
Smith said. "The reason we can get up in rushes is our forwards make
good plays and create time and space for us to make plays. Our D
corps is trying to be more responsible defensively. If our forwards
are making good plays then we can get up in the rush."
Right winger Johan Franzen also scored for Detroit (7-3-4).
Goaltender Jimmy Howard made 15 saves.
"Obviously it was a good game for us. We knew they played last night
(4-3 loss against the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis)," Red Wings
coach Mike Babcock said. "We didn't give up much in the first. We
gave up one scoring chance and they basically scored on it. I
thought the power play was good, we stuck with it and got a win."
Right wingers Steve Bernier and Jordin Tootoo scored for New Jersey
(6-6-2). Goalie Cory Schneider stopped 20 shots before being pulled
after the second period. Keith Kinkaid made seven saves.
"Bottom line, they were the better team. We would have been stealing
points if we had won," Devils coach Peter DeBoer said.
Tootoo made it 4-2 2:26 into the third period when he fired in a
loose puck from the bottom of the left circle. It was Tootoo's first
goal of the season.
Kindl and Smith scored 34 seconds apart late in the first period to
give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead.
Kindl tied the game with a power-play goal with 1:05 left in the
opening period. His shot from the right point deflected a couple of
times, the last off the stick of Devils defenseman Adam Larsson's
stick in the air. It was Kindl's second goal and second in two
games.
Smith's first goal of the season made it 2-1, with 31 seconds left
in the first when put in a seeing-eye shot from the high slot.
Franzen's power-play goal with 8:19 left in the second period
increased the lead to 3-1. He beat Schneider with a wrist shot from
the right circle. It was Franzen's his third goal.
[to top of second column] |
Kronwall made it 4-1 with 2:29 remaining in the middle period. His
shot from the right point went wide, bounced off the end boards and
caromed in off the back of Schneider's pad. It was Kronwall's third
goal.
"You're aware it (the lively boards at Joe Louis Arena). Probably
the only rink where it could have gone in," Schneider said. "I tried
to get my skate back there but I think it came off (the boards) in
the air."
Bernier opened the scoring 3:18 into the game when he slid in a
loose puck. It was Bernier's first goal.
NOTES: Detroit C Pavel Datsyuk was a last-minute scratch because of
a groin issue. Datsyuk has five goals and 10 points in eight games
after missing the first five games of the season with a separated
shoulder. He was replaced in the lineup by forward Joakim Andersson.
... New Jersey was without C Adam Henrique (lower body), C Mike
Cammalleri (jaw), RW Martin Havlat (lower body), D Jon Merrill (arm)
and LW Ryane Clowe (head) because of injuries. ... Detroit was
without D Kyle Quincey (ankle) and C Stephen Weiss (groin). ... RW
Jordin Tootoo returned for the Devils after missing seven games with
a foot injury. He is a former Red Wing. ... New Jersey D Andy Greene
is from the Detroit-area suburb of Trenton. ... Devils coach Pete
DeBoer began his coaching career in Detroit. He became an assistant
coach with the Junior Ontario Hockey League franchise that is now
the suburban-Detroit based Plymouth Whalers when the team played at
Joe Louis Arena in 1994-95. ... Devils RW Damien Brunner began his
NHL career with the Red Wings.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
