Fedorov’s 500th Assist Not Enough For Win

Sergei Fedorov at last reached the milestone of 500 career assists, but that wasn’t enough to help the Red Wings past the Boston Bruins, as they lost 2-1.

The Bruins opened the scoring late in the first period. Brian Rolston carried the puck into the zone with only Jiri Fischer back to defend against him. Rolston’s hard shot got past Fischer and slipped into the net beneath Manny Legace, making his first start for the Wings since February 9.

Kris Draper evened up the game early in the second. Sergei Fedorov brought the puck in onside, then passed to Brendan Shanahan at the right wing. Shanahan put a centering pass across the ice, and Draper redirected the puck into the net past goaltender John Grahame, to score his thirteenth goal of the season, a new career high for Draper.

Boston regained the lead late in the second. Glen Murray took a centering pass from Jozef Stumpel at the boards, and wristed the shot past Legace’s stick side.

Legace made some spectacular saves over the course of the game, but Detroit’s offense was unable to get the puck past Grahame a second time, even though shots on net were thirty to twenty-two in Detroit’s favor.

The Red Wings’ next game will be Sunday afternoon against the New York Rangers.