The Detroit Red Wings roll over the St. Louis Blues
The Detroit Red Wings scored four goals in the final period to earn a lopsided 7-3 victory over the struggling St. Louis Blues on Wednesday 17 November.
How it happened
It was Jaroslav Halak, who had been so strong at the start of the year, who put the Detroit Red Wings up 1-0 in the first period in the strangest fashion. Drew Miller fired an easy shot on goal which Halak
blocked easily, but in attempting to bat the puck out of mid-air, Halak unwittingly hit the puck into his own net.
The Blues tied the game soon after to send the game into the first intermission tied 1-1.
After Brad Winchester put the Blues up 2-1 with his first of the season while the Blues were on the power play, Justin Abdelkader answered back for the Red Wings with his third of the year. Danny Cleary
had put the Red Wings ahead with his eighth of the season, but Andy McDonald sent the game into intermission tied once again after scoring his fourth of the year.
The Red Wings then turned on the afterburners during a four minute span in the third period where they scored four goals. Cleary got things started with his second of the game and team-leading ninth of
the season. Henrik Zetterberg added his fifth of the year, Brad Stuart his second, and Holmstrom his sixth – the latter two both scoring on the power play.
What they're saying
Cleary, who was honored as the game's first star, has been particularly hot as of late.
"I'm not going to get ahead of myself," he told reporters after the game. "I don't know how to explain it other than the line's playing good. I feel healthy and feel good on the ice. When I get the puck
I just try to shoot in on net and good things will happen."
Earlier in the season Halak had begun to post Vezina-like numbers while in goal for the Blues, but he has now surrendered 19 goals in his last four games.
"He knows that he's the guy who's in charge back there," St. Louis coach Davis Payne said after the game. "The last couple haven't gone his way. He certainly hasn't been his best. We've got two good goaltenders
but he knows that he's going to shoulder the burden and shoulder the bulk of the work in our net. Any player goes through it. You've got to make sure you regroup."
The Blues will have that chance to regroup, and put an end to their five-game winless streak, when they meet the Ottawa Senators on Friday 19 November.
The Red Wings have now won four of four on their six-game home stand. They get set to host the Minnesota Wild on Friday night.
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