Nyquist lifts Red Wings to SO win over Devils
NEWARK, N.J. – The Detroit Red Wings overcame a generous first period to turn in their first shootout victory of the season.
Gustav Nyquist completed a valiant rally with the lone shootout goal, giving the Wings a 5-4 win Friday at Prudential Center against the New Jersey Devils.
"It shows, for sure, character," Nyquist said. "We battled back and got a big win."
Defenseman Xavier Ouellet scored his first NHL goal and grinder Drew Miller scored his first of the season, and Riley Sheahan and Justin Abdelkader converted during power plays as the Wings rallied from three-goal deficit.
"I thought we didn't skate in the first period, and played a slow game," coach Mike Babcock said. "I thought our goaltender hung in there and the puck didn't him early, but he really battled, and then our 5-on-3 penalty kill really turned the game for us. The game is over if they get the five-on-three."
Miller, Luke Glendening and Jonathan Ericsson put in the hard work in the second period to hold the Devils to one shot during a nearly two-minute two-man advantage. That ended up helping the Wings to their third straight victory and fifth in the last six games.
"We're a pretty good hockey club when we play with pace," Babcock said. "When we don't play with pace, we're not. The thing I don't like about what's gone on lately is we're giving up too many goals. I don't mind if we score goals, but I'm not interesting in giving them up."
The first period was tough on Petr Mrazek, who gave up a rebound goal to childhood hero Jaromir Jagr just past the two-minute mark. The Wings managed to tie the game within two minutes, when Sheahan tipped Niklas Kronwall's blast from the blue line, but the Devils retook the lead when they got a power play. Mike Cammalleri fired a shot from the left circle, off a pass from Marek Zidlicky. Peter Harrold put New Jersey up 3-1 near the 15-minute mark when he skated up the right side and beat Mrazek glove-side. The Wings had only allowed 10 first-period goals before Friday, through 22 games.
"The older guys said it wasn't good enough," Nyquist said. "We talked about it, just to forget about it and move on and get back better for the second, and we did that."
There was one more bump. Cammalleri scored again 28 seconds into the second period, using a bridged power play to score from the bottom of the right circle off a tic-tac-toe setup. That made it four goals on 11 shots against Mrazek. He wasn't fazed.
"It's hockey," he said. "You just work hard, battle harder every shot, and stay positive."
Babcock said he didn't even consider pulling Mrazek for Jimmy Howard. "He had the night, no matter what," Babcock said. "Howie was on faceoff stats."
Ouellet lessened the damage at the two-minute mark, slamming the puck into the net while just outside the crease. Stephen Weiss assisted, giving him five points since he returned from injury Monday. The Wings' finest stretch of the game came just before the midpoint, when Kyle Quincey and Kronwall went to the penalty box four seconds apart.
"Guys were blocking shots and Mrazek made some good plays with his stick and glove in front of the net," Miller said. "All around good effort by the guys there."
To further demoralize the Devils, Abdelkader scored when the Wings next got a power play, firing a shot high on Cory Schneider to set up an exciting third period.
Miller scored his first goal of the season on a wrist shot off a Kronwall pass, wiping out the last bit of that three-goal lead the Devils had built. Mrazek held up his end with 14 straight saves through regulation.
"He battled through and made some big saves down the stretch for us, and that's what you need out of your goalie," Miller said. "You can tell he just maintained his game there and it didn't faze him and he made some big saves for us down the stretch and definitely there in the shootout, too."
Nyquist scored in the third round of the shootout, and Mrazek finished off the Devils with a save on Michael Ryder.
Helene St. James writes for the Detroit Free Press