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Red Wings open playoffs with win over Predators
By The Associated Press
Friday, April 11, 2008 | No comments posted.
DETROIT — Henrik Zetterberg broke a tie at 6:54 of the third period and added an empty-net goal, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night in Game 1 of the first-round series.
Dominik Hasek, playing in his 116th playoff game, made 19 saves for the top-seeded Wings and Dan Ellis stopped 37 shots for the Predators before being pulled with just over a minute left.
Detroit’s Johan Franzen scored in the first period and Nashville’s Jordin Tootoo tied it late in the second.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday in Detroit.
A couple minutes after Nashville’s Vernon Fiddler hit a post on a shot in the third period, the Red Wings’ 90-point stars combined to break a tie and energize Joe Louis Arena.
Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk prevented Shea Weber from clearing the puck to set up the tiebreaking goal. Then, Datsyuk made a cross-ice pass from the left circle to perfectly set up Zetterberg’s one-timer that hit the back of the net before Ellis could slide over or get his glove on it.
Ellis kept the Predators in the game, though, by making 26 saves in the first two periods.
Canadiens 4, Bruins 1
MONTREAL — Sergei and Andrei Kostitsyn scored goals 1:28 apart in the opening minutes of their playoff debuts, and Montreal remained perfect against Boston this season.
Carey Price also made his playoff debut, stopping 17 shots for Montreal, which finished first overall in the Eastern Conference with 104 points, in large part thanks to sweeping eight games against the Bruins.
Bryan Smolinski and Tom Kostopoulos also scored for the Canadiens.
Bruins goalie Tim Thomas stopped 28 shots in his first playoff game and Shawn Hnidy scored for Boston in the first period.
Montreal will host Game 2 of the best-of-seven series Saturday night.
Sharks 2, Flames 0
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Evgeni Nabokov made 21 saves in his sixth career postseason shutout and rookie Torrey Mitchell scored a power-play goal to even the series.
Joe Pavelski also scored an early goal for the second-seeded Sharks, who outshot the penalty-prone Flames by a huge margin — 43-21 this time — for the second time in 24 hours.
Calgary beat San Jose in Game 1 on Wednesday night 3-2 despite a 16-shot disadvantage and a home sellout crowd expecting big things from the NHL’s second-best regular season team.
Game 3 is in Calgary on Sunday. San Jose was the NHL’s best road team this season.
Stars 4, Ducks 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Marty Turco earned his fourth career postseason shutout and Dallas scored four power-play goals to take Game 1 against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Turco made 23 saves, Steve Ott and Loui Eriksson had first-period power-play goals, and Jere Lehtinen and Brendan Morrow added power-play scores in the second for the Stars, who have been eliminated in the opening round for each of the past three years.
Morrow also had two assists, as did Mike Ribeiro.
The Ducks’ usual strong suits, their veteran defense and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, were vulnerable, Giguere faced 37 shots.
Game 2 is Saturday night in Anaheim.
Dominik Hasek, playing in his 116th playoff game, made 19 saves for the top-seeded Wings and Dan Ellis stopped 37 shots for the Predators before being pulled with just over a minute left.
Detroit’s Johan Franzen scored in the first period and Nashville’s Jordin Tootoo tied it late in the second.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday in Detroit.
A couple minutes after Nashville’s Vernon Fiddler hit a post on a shot in the third period, the Red Wings’ 90-point stars combined to break a tie and energize Joe Louis Arena.
Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk prevented Shea Weber from clearing the puck to set up the tiebreaking goal. Then, Datsyuk made a cross-ice pass from the left circle to perfectly set up Zetterberg’s one-timer that hit the back of the net before Ellis could slide over or get his glove on it.
Ellis kept the Predators in the game, though, by making 26 saves in the first two periods.
Canadiens 4, Bruins 1
MONTREAL — Sergei and Andrei Kostitsyn scored goals 1:28 apart in the opening minutes of their playoff debuts, and Montreal remained perfect against Boston this season.
Carey Price also made his playoff debut, stopping 17 shots for Montreal, which finished first overall in the Eastern Conference with 104 points, in large part thanks to sweeping eight games against the Bruins.
Bryan Smolinski and Tom Kostopoulos also scored for the Canadiens.
Bruins goalie Tim Thomas stopped 28 shots in his first playoff game and Shawn Hnidy scored for Boston in the first period.
Montreal will host Game 2 of the best-of-seven series Saturday night.
Sharks 2, Flames 0
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Evgeni Nabokov made 21 saves in his sixth career postseason shutout and rookie Torrey Mitchell scored a power-play goal to even the series.
Joe Pavelski also scored an early goal for the second-seeded Sharks, who outshot the penalty-prone Flames by a huge margin — 43-21 this time — for the second time in 24 hours.
Calgary beat San Jose in Game 1 on Wednesday night 3-2 despite a 16-shot disadvantage and a home sellout crowd expecting big things from the NHL’s second-best regular season team.
Game 3 is in Calgary on Sunday. San Jose was the NHL’s best road team this season.
Stars 4, Ducks 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Marty Turco earned his fourth career postseason shutout and Dallas scored four power-play goals to take Game 1 against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Turco made 23 saves, Steve Ott and Loui Eriksson had first-period power-play goals, and Jere Lehtinen and Brendan Morrow added power-play scores in the second for the Stars, who have been eliminated in the opening round for each of the past three years.
Morrow also had two assists, as did Mike Ribeiro.
The Ducks’ usual strong suits, their veteran defense and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, were vulnerable, Giguere faced 37 shots.
Game 2 is Saturday night in Anaheim.
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