Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Dominik Hasek only needed to make 13 saves
for his 69th career shutout to help the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-0 win over
the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena.
Johan Franzen and Kris Draper each scored a goal for the Red Wings, who
bounced back from a 3-1 loss to Vancouver to open their season on Thursday.
Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 24 shots for the Penguins, who defeated Philadelphia
4-0 in their opening game on Thursday and were looking for back-to-back wins
to open the season for the first time since 1998.
"You have to give the Red Wings credit," said Penguins coach Michel Therrien.
"It was a different game tonight but in a different game we have to find a way
to win hockey games. We didn't find that way."
The Red Wings took the lead into the first intermission with a goal by
Franzen. After a left circle faceoff win, Niklas Lidstrom had the puck at the
left point and dished it to Jason Williams along the left boards. Williams let
fly with a slap shot that Fleury made the save on, but Franzen poked the
rebound into the net from in front six minutes into the contest.
Pittsburgh had two power plays in the first 20 minutes, but were only able to
put six shots on net throughout the period.
It was a tight checking second period as the two teams combined for just eight
shots, with the Red Wings holding the Penguins to just one shot on Hasek.
The Penguins had an opportunity early in the third period as Lidstrom was
called for hooking, but the Red Wings' penalty killers kept Pittsburgh from
generating any good chances.
Draper's wrist shot from the right circle that went into the right corner of
the net with 1:21 to play sealed the win for Detroit.
"If I made one mistake everything would be different because were only up by
one goal," said Hasek. "I was nervous until the very end when Drape scored the
second one."
