Red Wings open Preseason with a win over Avalanche

     The time slowly ticked off the clock. The adrenaline started rushing through my body. I couldn’t sit still and couldn’t calm down. My friends and family told me to stop yelling and then the pre-game show started. The excitement only built. Ken Kal and Paul Woods broke down the game and analyzed the team. Mickey York, Ken Daniels, and Mickey Redmond previewed the new rules, and talked with the players. Then the pre-game shows wrapped up. The hot hand choices were chosen on the radio, and the familiar sounds, familiar voices, and familiar scenes of the inside of Joe Louis Arena were shown on television. The good times began. The moment all hockey fans have been waiting for, for eighteen months, actually happened. The players took the ice, Karen Newman belted out the national anthem, and the players lined up at center ice. Finally after four hundred and some odd days, Gord Dwyer finally dropped the puck. Hockey is officially back!!
     The Wings opened the game looking a little rusty. But after 18 months off it’s going to take a little bit of time to get back into game shape. People who were at the game Monday said they looked much better last night than Monday. And the result was much better. The Red Wings won 3-2 in overtime, and also won the shootout.
     It took eleven minutes and thirty-nine seconds for the Wings to get on the board. Red Wings Rookie Kyle Quincey took a shot from the blue line, and it somehow found it’s way to the net through about six guys and bounced past Vitaly Kolesnik to give the Wings a one to nothing lead. It wasn’t until 13:59 of the second period that the Avalanche tied up the game. The goal was given to Paul Healey, even though Kris Draper deflected the puck in off his leg.
     As the game wore on the Wings made some great plays, the rust wore off and there were flashes of midseason play. Six minutes and twenty seconds into the third Antti Laaksonen made a beautiful play coming in one on one, faking the defense to the outside, then pulling inside and roofing it just under the cross bar. This was Colorado’s first and only lead of the game. With just under four minutes to go Jason Williams came into the zone late and crashed the net. Brendan Shanahan passed the puck across to Williams and Williams just jammed it home. At the end of regulation the score was tied at two. In the new NHL there are no ties, so it was time to explore the tie breaking methods. The first is sudden death overtime. The teams play four on four for five minutes, if this doesn’t break the time, then a shootout takes place. Tonight the shootout was not needed. With 2:28 left in overtime, Bob Boughner was called for hooking and thirty one seconds later, Nicklas Lidstrom took a shot from the high slot and scored to win the game 3-2. During this preseason a shootout takes place just to acclimate the fans and the players with the system. The shootout consists of three players from either team taking turns going in all alone, penalty shot style, on the opposing goalie. Last night none of the three players from either team scored, so a sudden death shootout took place and four shooters later (two per team), Brendan Shanahan scored to win the shootout.
     Overall I think I like the NHL, the new rules are actually nice. The only new rule I’m not sure whether I like or not it the shootout. I guess I’d just rather see overtime, but hey, maybe it will grow on me. The game was completed in about two hours and four minutes (without overtime and shootout). Overall the National Hockey League’s goal of more flow was definitely accomplished in this game and in other games around the league scoring was up.
     Just a couple of side notes that I’d like to point out. First off did anyone notice the #72 patches on the referee’s jerseys? Well, in case you didn’t catch Ken and Mickey’s explanation I’ll pass it on. The referees and linesmen are wearing these in honor of Stephane Provost, a fellow linesman who passed away tragically in a motorcycle accident this past April in Florida. He was thirty eight years old. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
     On a lighter note, was anyone else amused by the commercial on Fox Sports Net where the two guys are in the bar watching the tigers game and then you hear the announcer say something like now the tigers enter the bottom of the ninth, and immediately the guys flip their hats inside out (the rally cap) and then everyone in the city flips their hats, then the words “We’re in this together” flash on the screen. I don’t know why but that commercial amused me, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it several times.
     Last night was really a great night. It was the night I’ve been thinking about since the Red Wings lost to Calgary (which I’m still kind of angry about…don’t ask) in the 2004 playoffs. Everything I’ve missed for the past 18 months, complete with Ken Kal and Paul Woods trivia segment and even a broadcasting freeze on Fox Sports Net. It never fails, there is always one point during the game that the screen freezes and then it goes black and all you can hear is Ken and Mickey and then it flashes back. You all know what I’m talking about. Anyhow, last night was a great night, and the Wings won. But don’t let the win impress you completely. The Colorado Avalanche was really the Hershey Bears (the Avalanches minor league team) in disguise. I wouldn’t put too much stock in the win.
     Anyhow, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think or feel free to comment on anything mentioned, or anything else you want to comment on. I hope you enjoy. Once again sorry this is being posted so late. School had to take first priority.