Fireworks!

Fireworks!
Local Shows

°

Homepage / Sports
Text Size

Conklin, Datsyuk, Lead Wings Past Blue Jackets

POSTED: Wednesday, January 7, 2009
UPDATED: 9:52 am EST January 7, 2009

Ty Conklin didn't make the most saves, just the biggest ones.

Conklin stopped 23 shots for his eighth career shutout and Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and two assists, sending the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

Marian Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg added a goal apiece, while Nicklas Lidstrom had two assists for Detroit, which won its fourth straight. Conklin got his fourth shutout this season and stretched his home scoreless streak to 138 minutes, 46 seconds. He also has four shutouts in nine games at Joe Louis Arena this season after being signed away from the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent in July.

"I feel real good, period. I certainly feel a lot more comfortable than when I first got here," Conklin said. "The first couple games I was tentative and had some butterflies but now I'm a lot calmer and I feel comfortable behind this team. Hopefully, it works both ways."

His biggest save Tuesday night came on Michael Peca about nine minutes into the game. With Detroit's Tomas Kopecky in the penalty box for tripping, Conklin dove across the crease to knock away Peca's shot after the veteran took a cross-crease pass facing an open net.

"That was basically a goal into an empty net and he made an unbelievable save," Hossa said. "The game could have gone either way. ... He saved a huge goal and then we started playing well a little after that."

Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios, the NHL's oldest player at 46, played in his 880th regular-season win, the most of any player in league history. Chelios broke a tie with Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Stevens.

It was Chelios' fifth game of the season.

Steve Mason stopped 37 shots for Columbus, which lost captain and leading scorer Rick Nash late in the first period after he went hard into the boards.

"We'll evaluate him tomorrow," said Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock, who would only add that Nash had a lower-body injury.

Datsyuk got the game's first goal 3:45 into the third period on a power play. He put in a rebound off a goal-mouth scramble for his 17th of the season.

"He had lots of saves today to keep it 0-0," Datsyuk said about Mason. "The plan was shoot, go for rebound like always. Create traffic."

Hossa scored a power-play goal just 2:14 later when he beat Mason with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle for his 18th goal, which also broke his seven-game scoreless drought.

"I just tried to make it simple," Hossa said. "It gets a little frustrating, but I just tried to check hard and keep things simple. I was getting chances, so it was just a matter of time. ... Don't think, just shoot the puck."

Zetterberg added an empty-net goal in the final minute. It was his 15th.

Mason made a big save on Datsyuk 50 seconds into the third period. Mason, who was laying in the crease, knocked Datsyuk's shot away with his glove.

"We had been good up to that point," Mason said. "To give those two up definitely hurt us."

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus

Hot Topics

Sponsored Links

Hot Shots!

Hot Shots: Michigan Adventures 2007 - Image From Dale Niesen
Do you love fireworks as much as Local 4? If so, share your fireworks Hot Shots. More

Hot Shots: 2008 Fireworks
2009 Fireworks

Hot Shots: Wild Weather - Image From Cheryl Kleist
Have a great picture of a rainbow? Share your Hot Shots with Local 4!
  • UPLOAD: Submit Your Hot Shot
  • SLIDESHOW: Hot Shots: Rainbow Connection



    Links We Like

    Sponsored Content
    Learn to train and eat the right way and you can lose that unwanted weight and keep it off! More

    So you want a cool job huh? Find out what you could be making to do something you love. More

    The signs of Cancer can sometimes be very subtle. Here's a guide to help you recognize them early. More

    Do you want the look of a quality paint job without the hassle of having to redo it over and over? Spray on siding could be the answer. More

    National Sports Survey

    Do you think seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will win this year's race?

    Most Popular