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Game of the Week: Red Wings, Blackhawks take game seriously, end 1st period 0-0

Detroit Red Wings v Chicago Blackhawks

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 17: of the Chicago Blackhawks of the Detroit Red Wings at the United Center on December 17, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Red Wings 4-1. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Jonathan Daniel

Just because a game is a big one doesn’t mean that both sides will show up. Sometimes -- such as the case of the Carolina Hurricanes last night -- the team that has everything to lose ends up being the one that flops.

Yet if the first period of the NBC Game of the Week is any indication, both the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks came to play this afternoon. The score might only be 0-0 after the first 20 minutes, but the United Center’s atmosphere is electric and the pace is absolutely hectic.

Chicago 0, Detroit 0

It seems like Jimmy Howard made the greatest number of tough saves, but Howard and Corey Crawford stopped 10 shots each. Howard’s greatest hit might be a timely toe save late in the period while Crawford found a way to put aside a nice one-timer between Tomas Holmstrom and Johan Franzen.

The Blackhawks should be pretty happy with their commitment level so far, with the only low spot being the fact that they didn’t achieve much with the two power play opportunities they received.

The Red Wings could have treated this game with a shoulder shrug, but they’re not going to roll over for their division rivals. As this contest goes along, Chicago’s energy might begin to subside and the tension will build as long as the game remains tied (or worse).

Stay tuned with PHT and check out the game on NBC right now. If you want to follow the game online and chat with us, click here.