Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Pavel Datsyuk dazzles, Detroit’s PP takes over to give Red Wings 3-0 first period lead

Pavel Datsyuk

Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk, of Russia, celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators in Detroit, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

AP

Much like Game 1, the Detroit Red Wings’ star players are overwhelming Ilya Bryzgalov and the Phoenix Coyotes. It shouldn’t be surprising, but after an impressive first contest, Pavel Datsyuk already has three points and a game’s worth of highlight reel moments in one period of play.

Detroit 3, Phoenix 0 after first period; Red Wings lead series 1-0

The Red Wings are taking advantage of mistakes by the Coyotes, as the Detroit power play scored the team’s first two goals. Datsyuk made a heads-up move to change his position at the point to find the net for the first goal. Tomas Holmstrom distracted Bryzgalov with his unmatched goalie screening skills, allowing Brian Rafalski to make it 2-0.

The biggest treat was the work of Dastyuk on what might be a backbreaking late first period goal, though. Datsyuk made a self-pass to get by Keith Yandle then made an astounding stickhandling move to take a shot that created a great rebound that Darren Helm slammed into the Coyotes net.

With the score 3-0, one must wonder if Dave Tippett will decide to bench befuddled goalie Bryzgalov, even if it’s clear that he isn’t the only problem. Perhaps such a move would shock the Coyotes back to attention and protect their star goalie’s pysche at the same time?

While the Red Wings are scoring at a high rate, they must keep an eye on Johan Franzen’s status. Mike Babcock indicated that he was off the ice after a Shane Doan hit because of the league’s mandated concussion screening process, while Joe hypothesized that he might have a broken nose. Franzen’s face has been a veritable pain magnet in the last week or so, as he was bloodied by a Chicago Blackhawks high-stick on Sunday and took two blows to the face in two playoff games so far.

It’s clear (to us, anyway) that Doan’s hit on Franzen wasn’t a dirty one since Franzen was already off balance, but if you want to take a look at it, here’s the footage. Franzen’s return is questionable, but we’ll keep you up to date on his status as soon as more details emerge.