Hockey Update: Henrik Zetterberg contributes in Detroit Red Wings 5-3 victory over San Jose Sharks
Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit Red Wings’ center) got into the act in the matchup between Red Wings and Shark on November 30. Pavel Datsyuk, who is a great skater with jaw dropping moves, usually provides the highlight reel goals for the Detroit Red Wings but
this time, Zetterberg came up.
Henrik Zetterberg tallied two brilliant goals to go along with two assists, as the Detroit Red Wings thumped the San Jose Sharks 5-3 at HP Pavilion on November 30. Henrik Zetterberg's four-point outing against San Jose (two goals and two assists) gives him
24 points on the season and only strengthens the case to send him to the 2011 All-Star Game. Red Wings also got the goals from Datsyuk who had two helpers while Danny Cleary (who played in his 700th career game) and Patrick Eaves also lit the lamp as the red-hot
Red Wings won for the third straight time and eighth of their last 10 games overall
On November 30th, the two clubs (Detroit and San Jose) had their first meeting since the playoffs in May, when San Jose had captured the semi-final series in five games against their long time Western Conference nemesis.
For the Red Wings, Jimmy Howard (Detroit’s Goalie) had allowed three goals on 28 shots and made 25 saves to win against San Jose that is his 27th time in his last 33 regular season starts. Brian Rafalski (Detroit’s Defenseman) and Datsyuk also had two assists,
which lead the Western Conference with 34 points. Sharks’ players Dany Heatley, Benn Ferriero and Ryane Clowe who dropped to 2-3-2 in their last seven contests, got the puck past Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard.
The setup was a recipe for trouble. San Jose was facing the Western Conference's top team and was missing three of its regular defensemen, Niclas Wallin, Kent Huskins and Jason Demers, missing from the line-up. The injuries forced San Jose to use three defensemen
Derek Joslin, Justin Braun and Mike Moore from its minor league team in Worcester. The injury-depleted Sharks were relying on rookies Justin and Moore, with a combined seven games of NHL experience to stop the likes of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.
After the end of a Detroit power play, Zetterberg had the highlight of this game shortly. He was standing in the slot when the puck came in a few feet off the ice. He hit the puck cleanly off the post for one of his two goals that helped Detroit get a small
token of revenge for last season’s playoff elimination.
The Sharks scored just enough to keep things tight through the first 49 minutes. Braun was on the ice for three of Detroit's goals, and he was turned inside-out when Datsyuk split the defence to score the Red Wings' second goal at 8:01 of the first period.
Moore had his welcome to the NHL moment at 7:55, but Datsyuk intercepted it and passed it to Zetterberg who hit a wide open shot that gave Red Wings a 5-2 lead over Sharks. Joe Thornton scored his 500th point with San Jose as he caromed off Heatley and into
the Detroit net for a power-play goal in the first period. Antero Niittymaki (Sharks’ Goalie) registered 24 saves in defeat.
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