Game Recap: DET 3 - CAR 1

We needed to win this one. I don't think I'm shocking anyone with this news. Thankfully, as opposed to most other games that we've needed to win, we actually took this one. Who'da thunk? Thankfully we got really good games from Lidstrom (who scored! Yay!), Eaves, and Miller, in addition to decent games from most of the rest of the team. Although Filppula took more penalties than May and Bertuzzi combined. Whoa.

Period 1

• Well, we actually skated in the first ten minutes, so win there
• Nick Lidstrom finally scored, and I wept with joy like a little baby girl. Also, it was great to see him smiling and joking about himself in the interview with Keating. I love that nothing shakes Nick
• During one PK shift late in the period, Eaves took 2 hard pucks from Staal, skated to the boards, cleared the puck, then took a high stick to the head. And was back out a short shift later. I loved it. I so want him back next season
• Basically, I was happy with this period. I'd have liked it we'd offered a little more sustained pressure, especially at the start of the period, but considering how we've started so many firsts this season, I really can't complain.

Period 2

• Wow, continued with the decent play. I was amazed, yet grateful
• Miller scored the game's 2nd goal, which also happened to be the 2nd powerplay goal of the game. Who remembered such a thing was even possible?
• Kerry Fraser actually made an interference call to the benefit of Detroit. I think the only reason it happened was because the Carolina player knocked a Wing directly into Fraser
  
• There was major interference on Filppula's rush to the net, which resulted in another powerplay, but was actually the closest I've seen to something that deserved the penalty shot that Ken Daniels loves to predict
• Bert had a brilliant breakaway at one point. And totally missed the net. I'm pretty sure that was just for you, Petrella
• Miller actually had a really nice game tonight. Bertuzzi, on the other hand, made a spectacular run of shots that missed the net. It was almost like having Sammy back
  
• Flip also looked good tonight, even though he was tripped, hooked and interfered with more than I've seen in a long time. Of course, he also did more of that himself that I'm used to seeing him do
  

Period 3

• Looked a bit slower in the third, which didn't make me too happy. But I don't think it was fatigue causing that awful rebound Jimmy left for Carolina to score on
• Maltby made a great defensive play at the end of a PK caused by Filppula taking another penalty. Maltby's play was nice to see. Flip's, not so much.
• Bertuzzi drew two penalties on one play at the end of the game. What's up with that?
• Final score: DET 3 - CAR 1

Summary
Well, we won it. Thank God. A much better effort than Tuesday, but then, we could have skated eighteen corpses and had a better effort than Tuesday. But hey, 2 pts is 2 pts. I'll take it.

Thanks, boys.