Jimmy Howard’s heroics give Detroit Red Wings victory against Phoenix Coyotes, 3-2 – NHL Update
Detroit Red Wings' goalie, Jimmy Howard, earned his 100th career win after making 25 saves, before registering three in the shootout, to keep his team a step ahead in a nerve-wracking battle against Phoenix Coyotes, ending in Detroits favour by
3-2, at the Joe Louis Arena on Thursday, January 12, 2012.
It was a thrilling encounter as the game remained evenly poised until the shootout was called.
The scores were levelled at 1-1, by the end of the first period.
The second period went scoreless, and both the teams scored once in the final period to send the game into overtime.
The extra period also went scoreless forcing the game into an uncertain shootout, in which Howard made three saves, while his Coyotes’ counterpart, Mike Smith, made two.
"It doesn't get any better than that. What a great day. It's been awesome", Howard remarked.
"I think the highlight of my day was probably when I woke up from my nap and my little guy had a T-shirt on that said, `My Daddy rocks".
It is safe to assume that the goalies dominated most of the game.
Despite a total of four goals in the regulation, it was the performance of both the goaltenders that kept their respective teams alive in the game.
In the first period, Coyotes were the first ones to score a goal, at 9:41.
David Rundblad assisted Radim Vrbata, who scored his 21st goal of the National Hockey League (NHL) 2011-2012 regular season.
After nearly 10 minutes, the Red Wings equalised when Ian White set up Valtteri Filppula.
Spending the second period without scoring a goal, the Coyotes once again gained the lead in the third period.
At 3:02, Taylor Pyatt scored a goal, but the lead was neutralised by Detroit. Johan Franzen scored a goal to take the score to 2-2.
No team scored after that and the game was forced into overtime, which also went without any scoring move, so the shootout was called.
Detroit took the first hit in the shootout.
Pavel Datsyuk beat Mike Smith for one point.
Coyotes’ first shot was stopped by Howard to give Phoenix an edge, but Smith stopped the next shot and Coyotes scored on their second opportunity to level things up.
After getting two shots each, both teams were levelled at 1-1.
Smith and Howard stopped the next shots as well as the anxiety reached unparallel levels.
Finally, it was Smith who missed the shot by Henrik Zetterberg as Phoenix got an edge.
Coyotes’ striker missed the next shot and the Red Wings were declared winners.
"Smith was great, he gave us a chance to win", Phoenix coach, Dave Tippett, said.
"We gave ourselves a chance to win the game. Unfortunately, the shootout got us again".
The Red Wings are going to play their next game against Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, while the Coyotes will face Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
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