Red Wings top Rangers in return to Joe Louis Arena (with photos/video)

Photos by @MichaelCaples/MiHockey

 

By @SKubus

DETROIT – In a NBC Wednesday Night Rivalry featured game and an Original Six tilt, the Detroit Red Wings found a way to squeeze out two points despite a weaker showing.

Led by Jimmy Howard’s stellar 39-save performance and Zidlicky’s overtime game-winner, the Red Wings defeated the Rangers, 2-1. Justin Abdelkader potted the other Detroit goal.

“I thought we looked like we had been on a long road trip and got back, wearing snow shoes, turning the puck over a lot,” head coach Mike Babcock said.

Babcock didn’t particularly like the way his team played, but said he “didn’t mind stealing one.”

“Once you’ve been around a long time, you know that after these long road trips,” Babcock said. “Even though you want to skate and all that, you just look like you’re in quicksand out there and that’s what we looked like.”

Especially with their own trade deadline additions, the powerhouse Rangers threw as many pucks on Howard as possible, but he was expecting that going into the contest.

“They threw a lot at the net, but that’s the way they play,” Howard said. “I knew that coming in tonight, that I was going to be busy. Whenever they get an opportunity to throw it to the net, they crash. I just tried to make sure the best I could to put rebounds in good spots or eat them up.”

At 6:12 of the first frame, Jonathan Ericsson whiffed on his point shot in the Rangers zone, and the puck went right to Zetterberg in the high slot. With Talbot anticipating the original shot, Zetterberg pulled him to the right and slid a pass back in the crease which allowed Abdelkader to tap it in for the game’s opening marker.

Then, late in the opening period, the newcomer Zidlicky got on the scoresheet for the first time as a Red Wing, but not the way he wanted; Zidlicky’s minor penalty gave the Rangers their second powerplay of the period, and they made it count this time around. Dan Girardi poked home a puck in the slot to knot the contest at one. Rick Nash and Derick Brassard drew the helpers.

The Rangers and Red Wings exchanged dominant offensive-zone shifts in the second period, but both Talbot and Howard were sharp and kept their respective teams in what developed into a tightly-checked second stanza.

Late penalties in the third period gave Detroit a 4-on-3 powerplay for the opening 1:13 of overtime, and the Red Wings delivered, as Zidlicky managed to get a piece of a bouncing puck in front of Talbot that found the back of the net to seal the victory.

“I saw the puck there, I just tried to hit the puck and hit his back and it was in,” Zidlicky said

Babcock said that after the lengthy road trip, he expects his team to settle back into a normal rhythm in practice, as they next prepare to host Calgary Friday night.

“You know, you almost expect it, but you’re hoping you’re gonna get through it, you’re hoping you’re going to play better, and we’ll play way better as the week goes on here now once we get skating again tomorrow so that’s a positive thing.”