Michi-gamer: Pride of the Mitten (Week of April 14, 2014)
Welcome to another season of MiHockey’s Michi-gamer!
We take great pride in our homegrown talent. Whether they grew up in the Mitten or we welcomed them here for college or juniors, they are our own. They represent the best place in the world for hockey.
Every morning, we pick one Michi-gamer from the previous night’s slate of games across all professional levels of hockey – one Michigan player who stood out above the rest.
APRIL 14 – JUSTIN ABDELKADER
The Red Wings finished their 2013-14 regular season with an impressive win over the St. Louis Blues, and Justin Abdelkader played a big part in the victory. The Muskegon native scored the Wings’ first and third goal Sunday afternoon – his ninth and 10th goals of the year. Both came against fellow Michigan State Spartans alum Ryan Miller, one in the first and one in the third. Abdelkader’s first came when he was screening the Blues’ goaltender and tipped a point shot from Brian Lashoff past him and into the net. On the second, Abdelkader redirected a pass from Pavel Datsyuk while rushing towards the goal, sending the puck past Miller to the top left corner. Abdelkader’s goals will last a bit longer than usual, considering the Wings don’t play again until Friday, when they kick off their first-round matchup with the Bruins out in Boston.
The goals:
and…
More MiHockey articles on Abdelkader:
Abdelkader scores game-tying goal for Red Wings in his first outdoor experience
Red Wings visit the Coast Guard station in Grand Haven
U.S. Olympic camp: Players, management talk about hockey in Michigan
Justin Abdelkader talks MSU pro camp, upcoming season
This week’s Michi-gamer list assembled by MiHockey’s Michael Caples.