Dallas Stars Nearly Shut Out Detroit Red Wings 2-1
The Detroit Red Wings hosted the Dallas Stars Tuesday night for the Red Wings much anticipated first home game of the season. Tomas Holmstrom, a Detroit winger for the past 15 seasons and 4-time Stanley Cup winner, retired shortly before the beginning of the game; he was honored by dropping the ceremonial first puck for the game. Unfortunately for Detroit they would not be able to manage a win against the Stars, although they were able to escape a complete shut out by scoring in the final seconds of the game.
January 22, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Michael Ryder (73) and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith (2) battle for the puck in the first period at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
The Dallas Stars beat the Redwings 2-1 with both goals coming from Michael Ryder, one being his first goal of the season; the Red Wings lone goal came from Damien Brunner. Despite Ryder’s two goal, the most impressive performances came from both teams’ goalies.
Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen was near impossible to get past, blocking 39 shots in the game, only missing Detroit’s final shot of the game. Detroit’s goalie Jimmy Howard ended the game with 30 saves including one incredibly blocked shot where he managed to glove the puck.
The Dallas Stars started off the game quickly, scoring their first goal only 5:41 into the game. Ryder received the pass from newly acquired and former Washington Capitals player Cody Eakin; he then shot from the slot with a wrist shot from the edge of the right circle sliding right past Howard in the left top corner of the goal.
The score remained 1-0 throughout the first two periods, despite most of the Dallas Stars shot attempts being made in the second period. Red Wings player,Valtteri Filppula was able to beat Lehtonen with his shot attempt to the right, but the shot was deflected off the goal post out of the net.
January 22, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Valtteri Filppula (51) tries to deflect the puck in front of Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) as right wing Michael Ryder (73) defends in the first period at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
In the beginning of the third period, Detroit had another opportunity to tie the score up, but Stars goalie Lehtonen shut this opportunity down denying Damien Brunner from knocking in a rebound. Later in the period, Dallas knocked in their second goal after a deflected shot attempt from Ray Whitney. Brenden Morrow passed to Ryder with 5:34 left in the third, who then made a 15-foot wrist shot to score. Shortly after their second goal, the Stars were able to get back into scoring territory where Reilly Smith took a point-blank shot against Howard. Howard made what could easily be called his best save of the game, gloving the puck to stop the shot attempt. After this, the Dallas Stars kept their focus on their defense while Detroit came at them hard, completing most of their shot attempts in the final minutes of the game.
Finally, with 3.4 seconds left in the game, Brunner took the Red Wings 40th and final shot against Lehtonen scoring their first goal of the game and his first real goal of the season.
Dallas Stars player Jaromir Jagr, who came into the game with two goals and two assists, was not as relevant in this game; he didn’t not score or assist in any goals. Jagr is only a goal away from beating Luc Robitaille for the 10th spot on NHL Career list with 668 goals.
For both teams this was their third game played within these first four days of the season and gave the Stars their second win of the season. The Dallas Stars face the Chicago Blackhawks Thursday night at home, and the Red Wings will play the Minnesota Wild on Friday.