Tomas Holmstrom broke a third period tie with a power play goal as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Saturday and consigned the visitors to their third successive defeat.
Holmstrom lifted the Red Wings to their second win in a row after an 0-2 start when he scored with just under seven minutes remaining in the game.
“I was coming in on the right side, Pavel [Datsyuk] got the puck on the left side and I pretty much knew the pass was going to come,” Holmstrom told reporters. “I just tried to get in good position and I put it high up.”
PHOTO: AFP
The goal came after a hooking penalty on Washington’s Mike Green.
“If we don’t address our penalties it’s difficult because it ruins the whole flow of our game,” Capitals defenseman Brian Pothier said. “Our penalty killers are tired. Our top guns aren’t on the ice. Not to mention they’ve got a five on four.”
Ville Leino and Jason Williams also had goals for Detroit and Valtteri Filppula provided two assists.
Matt Bradley and Brendan Morrison scored Washington’s goals with Morrison’s tally levelling the score at 2-2 early in the third period.
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin failed to score a goal for the second consecutive game but did record an assist on Morrison’s goal.
“They have real good players,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said of Ovechkin and Russian teammate Alexander Semin, who was held without a point. “We just tried to keep them under wraps.”
Chris Osgood made 22 saves for Detroit, with Jose Theodore recording 34 for Washington.
“He [Osgood] played great for us, especially in the penalty kill, Holmstrom said. “Ovechkin had a great chance in the slot [in the first period], and he got his pad out. He played great against Chicago and I think he stepped up his game even more today, too. He looks really good.”
DUCKS 3, FLYERS 2
In Philadelphia, Teemu Selanne scored the only goal in a shootout and had two third-period goals — the last with 16 seconds left — as Anaheim beat the hosts 3-2.
Chris Pronger scored his first goal with the Flyers after spending three years in Anaheim and helping the Ducks win the 2007 Stanley Cup title. Philadelphia’s Mike Richards also scored his NHL-best sixth goal of the season.
BLACKHAWKS 4, AVALANCHE 3, SO
In Chicago, Andrew Ladd scored on a high shot in the ninth round of the shootout to give Chicago victory over Colorado in its home opener.
Jonathan Toews, Kris Versteeg and Tomas Kopecky also connected in the shootout, while Milan Hejduk, Marek Svatos and Darcy Tucker scored for Colorado in the tiebreaker. Ladd, Cam Barker and Duncan Keith scored in regulation for the Blackhawks, while Matt Hendricks, Wojtek Wolski and Hejduk countered for the Avalanche.
SENATORS 4, THRASHERS 2
In Ottawa, Mike Fisher assisted on Alex Kovalev’s first-period goal and added a power-play goal in the second as Ottawa overcame Atlanta.
Ottawa’s Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil also scored.
In other NHL action, it was:
• Kings 2, Blues 1
• Blue Jackets 2, Coyotes 0
• Penguins 5, Maple Leafs 2
• Sabres 1, Predators 0
• Oilers 3, Canadiens 2
• Lightning 5, Hurricanes 2
• Sharks 4, Wild 2
• Bruins 4, Islanders 3, SO
• Devils 3, Panthers 2
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