Red Wings Claim Game One Win over Ducks

The Detroit Red Wings scored two power play goals on bounces off Anaheim defenders, carrying them to a 2-1 win over the Ducks on Friday night in the first game of their Western Conference Final matchup.

Red Wings’ goaltender Dominik Hasek stopped 31 of 32 shots against to hold off the Ducks.

Anaheim defenseman Francois Beauchemin put both Detroit goals in to the net.

With Detroit on a power play at 3:44 of the first period, Henrik Zetterberg threw a shot from an acute angle at the net. The puck redirected off of Beauchemin at the side of the crease and slipped past netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere to give the Red Wings the lead.

Tomas Holmstrom’s game-winning tally with 4:54 remaining in regulation also went in off of Beauchemin.

On another Detroit power play, defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom fired a shot from the point that bounced off the body of Holmstrom and hit the ice, rolling towards the goal line. Beauchemin attempted to knock the puck away and ended up putting it into his own net.

Chris Kunitz scored Anaheim’s lone goal at 1:34 of the final period, a wrister from the top of the left circle.

The Ducks were held off the board on seven power play chances, including a long five-on-three in the first period and a four-on-three in the third. The two Detroit power play goals came on their four attempts with the extra skater.

Giguere stopped 17 of 19 shots against on the night.

Game two between the two teams will be at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena on Sunday night.