Open Game Thread
Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks
October 10, 2002 – 10:30 PM
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My thoughts on the first game of the season:
The Wings clicked very well in the first two periods and then seemed to give up. Not a horrible thing to do with that big of a lead but it can’t happen (and I doubt it will) in closer games.
A few great saves by Cujo but he still allowed three goals. Again, nothing to worry about, Hasek allowed just as many in the opener against San Jose last year.
I’m worried about Bykov and Kuznetsov. Bykov was solid but Max was stupid a few times. Dmitri should be playing with Lidstrom while Dandenault partners with Kuznetsov/Wallin but with Bykov not knowing English, that seems to be a problem. Nevermind that Datsyuk did fine with a couple North Americans last season.
In the end, a win is a win and I’ll take it.
Interesting fact of the game: Kirk Maltby is on pace to score 164 shorthanded goals this season. Of course, that’s just like saying the Red Wings are on pace to go 82-0-0-0.
It seemed a LOT like last year’s early games, to me. How many times did we see them fire on all cylinders through the first 2 periods and then stall out in the third? They’ll outgrow it.
I agree about Kooz causing some nervous moments. He has that tendency for giveaways. Granted, he has enough of a reach that he usually gets the puck back before any damage is done, but not always. I’d really like to see him get some time paired with Chelios or Lidstrom, for the learning experience. It did wonders for Fischer last year.
Let’s see… Cujo wound up with an 87% save percentage, which isn’t great, but since Kiprusoff had about a 1% save percentage, I won’t complain. Cujo inspired a lot of confidence. I didn’t have any moments like I did watching Dom early last year: “Why the *&%^% did we give up Ozzie for this clown?!?!?”
Bykov seemed very solid, and very fast, which is good, because it helped me to remember that, oh yeah, that 55 is not Larry Murphy!
More interesting pattern about Maltby: If Shanny scored the 2 shorthanded goals in last year’s game 1, and then got the Cup-winning goal, and Maltby scored the 2 s-h goals in this year’s game 1, then he should get the Cup-winning goal this year!
Oh, by the way, going back to what seemed to be our wonderful TV announcers’ strangely obsessive method of tracking last season’s wins and losses, the Wings are now 1-0-0-0 when Fedorov has at least a point. :laugh: