Red Wings Bounce Back Again in New York

For the second time in a week, the Detroit Red Wings scored rallied in the third period to pick up a 4-3 win in New York.

Last Tuesday, the Red Wings scored three times in the third period and once more in overtime to down the New York Islanders. Monday night, three third-period goals erased an early deficit and gave Detroit a win over the New York Rangers.

Jiri Hudler kick-started the comeback with a goal off a giveaway by sophomore Ranger netminder Henrik Lundqvist 2:31 into the third. Lundqvist attempted to play the puck behind the net but coughed up the puck, leaving Hudler free for a wraparound attempt that was stopped by the New York defense before Hudler put in the rebound.

With 9:06 remaining in the period, Robert Lang tied the game when Dan Cleary threw a backhander on net from the right point and Lang tapped it between Lundqvist’s pads.

Henrik Zetterberg gave the Red Wings their first and only lead of the game with 7:24 remaining and Detroit on the power play. Pavel Datsyuk got the puck to Zetterberg at the top of the crease for a wrist shot into the back of the net to cap the game’s scoring and Detroit’s rally.

The Rangers had jumped out to an early lead on a high, hard wrist shot from the right circle by longtime Red Wing Brendan Shanahan just 2:18 into the game.

Only 13 seconds later, Michael Nylander stole the puck off goalie Dominik Hasek’s stick when he tried to play it behind the net and poked it into the net, putting New York up by a pair.

Datsyuk pulled the Red Wings back to within one at 7:24 of the period, deflecting a long shot by Zetterberg past Lundqvist.

A power play goal with 5:36 remaining in the first would finish off the Rangers’ scoring. Marcel Hossa beat Hasek with a wrist shot from the right circle that the Detroit netminder could have had.

A scoreless second period showed a glimpse of things to come, as the Red Wings’ defense began to take control even with their offense not yet clicking.

Each team scored once on the power play. New York had three chances while Detroit was given four.

Hasek stopped 17 of the 20 shots he faced on the night. Lundqvist went 22-for-26 in the Rangers’ net.

The Red Wings will be back home on Wednesday when they host the Phoenix Coyotes in the second of three games in three cities in four nights. On Thursday they will complete that stretch in St. Louis.

---

Andreas Lilja was a healthy scratch for the second-straight game since Mathieu Schneider returned from injury… The Red Wings are 9-1 against the Rangers in their last ten games. They have not allowed more than three goals in a game to the Rangers since December 17, 1993.