Playoff Game 1: Red Wings 4 vs. Coyotes 2

Red Wings lead the series 1-0.

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Quick Recap

These two teams fought seven games strong in the first round of last year’s post-season, with Detroit emerging victorious.

They meet again, and this time the Wing’s have home ice advantage.

Kyle Turris started the series off with a goal for Phoenix just 2:16 in. The Coyotes would hold that lead through the rest of the first period, until the Wings rallied back, scoring three times in the second.

Todd Bertuzzi and Rostislav Klesla dropped the gloves near the halfway mark of the second.

But the Detroit veterans wouldn’t take no for an answer with goals from Pavel Datsyuk, Brian Rafalski, and Johan Franzen. Despite the Coyotes second goal in the third, the Wings win it 4-2.

Scoring Summary

First Period
PHX GOAL 2:16 Kyle Turris (1): Snap Shot – Assists: R. Whitney (1) & S. Doan (1)

Second Period
DET GOAL 7:38 Pavel Datsyuk (1): Wrap-Around – Assists: J. Franzen (1) & T. Holmstrom (1)

DET GOAL 12:02 Johan Franzen (1): Snap Shot – Assists: none

DET GOAL 18:16 PPG – Brian Rafalski (1): Slap Shot – Assists: V. Filppula (1)

Third Period

DET GOAL 3:16 Jiri Hudler (1) Snap Shot – Assists: D. Miller (1)

PHX GOAL 7:38 Radim Vrbata (1) Slap Shot – Assists: M. Hanzal (1) & L. Korpikoski (1)

3 Stars

3rd Star: Pavel Datsyuk (1 goal)
2nd Star: Johan Franzen (1 goal, 1 assist)
1st Star: Jimmy Howard (26 saves)

News and Notes

Henrik Zetterberg
Detroit’s leading scorer missed the first game with a lower body injury. He is still listed as day-to-day and will more than likely miss game two as well. Watch his post-game injury update here