Wings Hold Off Blues’ Comeback, Win 4-3

Red Wings goalie Manny Legace stretched out across the crease and stopped a flurry of shots from the St. Louis Blues in the closing seconds of Thursday’s game, helping the Red Wings preserve a one-goal lead and earn a 4-3 victory in the second half of the home-and-home series between the two teams.

Detroit had taken a 4-1 lead into the third period when Doug Weight pulled the Blues within two at 5:06 of the period. With St. Louis on the power play and Weight in the slot, he deflected a shot from the blue line past Legace.

Just 1:02 later, Dean McAmmond picked off a pass by Mathieu Schneider in the neutral zone, skated down the boards, and rifled a shot from the right circle over Legace’s glove, pulling the Blues within a goal.

St. Louis had opened the game’s scoring with a goal by Andy Roach 8:29 into the game. Roach took a centering pass from Weight at the side of the crease and banged the puck into the net for a power play goal.

The Red Wings scored the next four goals, starting with 6:34 remaining in the first period when Robert Lang fired a wrist shot from the top of the right circle over St. Louis netminder Patrick Lalime’s shoulder.

Mikael Samuelsson gave Detroit the lead with a power play goal 2:28 later. Samuelsson attempted a centering pass to Tomas Holmstrom in the crease but Blues defenseman Eric Weinrich deflected the puck into his own net.

The Red Wings got two quick goals late in second period, as well.

Jiri Fischer scored his first goal of the season, jumping up on a rush into the St. Louis zone and taking a pass in his feet from Holmstrom. He quickly controlled the puck and wristed a shot off the inside of the far goalpost with 3:50 left in the period.

Just 2:07 later, former Blue Brendan Shanahan scored the eventual game-winner with the Wings on the power play. Jason Williams, who had three assists on the night, one-timed a long shot at Lalime and Shanahan picked up the rebound at the edge of the crease. He lifted a shot into the net to give Detroit a 4-1 lead.

Legace stopped twenty-three of the twenty-six shots he faced in net for Detroit, while Lalime made twenty-three saves on twenty-seven shots for St. Louis.

The Red Wings are now off until Sunday, when they host former Red Wing Darren McCarty and the Calgary Flames.