Detroit Wins Sixth-straight in Penalty-filled Matchup

The Detroit Red Wings emerged from a penalty-filled visit to the Vancouver Canucks with a 7-3 win Sunday night, exending their winning streak to six games and regaining possession of the top spot in the NHL standings.

The Canucks were penalized 15 times on the night and the resulting 11 power plays were the most given to Detroit in any game this season. The Red Wings scored on only one of their chances, while the Canucks capitalized on on both of their attempts, once on a five-on-three.

The Red Wings were penalized only six times.

Detroit opened the scoring at 6:03 of the first period, when Tomas Holmstrom scored on an odd-man rush with Mark Mowers and Henrik Zetterberg, ripping a shot from the left cirlce over goalie Alex Auld’s shoulder off a pass from Mowers.

Jason Williams put the Red Wings up by a pair just 40 seconds later. Chris Chelios caused a turnover at the Vancouver blue line as the Canucks tried to clear their zone. He got the puck to Steve Yzerman, who was on his knees at the top of the right circle. Yzerman sent a backwards, backhand pass to Williams, who cut to the net and put a backhander between Auld’s legs.

Nicklas Lidstrom extended the Detroit lead with a power play goal with 9:05 left in the period, firing a shot from the blue line past Auld as Holmstrom screened in front.

Pavel Datyuk scored Detroit’s fourth goal just 1:30 into the second period, taking a pass from Kris Draper at the Vancouver blue line to break in all alone on Auld, faking to the backhand before moving to his forehand and lifting a shot into the net.

After a Vancouver goal was mysteriously waived off because Todd Bertuzzi was in the Detroit crease, the Canucks finally got on the board with a five-on-three goal at 3:44 of the second, as Anson Carter put a rebound chance past Detroit’s Chris Osgood.

Just 1:02 later, with the Canucks still on the power play, Markus Naslund sun through the left circle and threw a shot over Osgood’s shoulder for Vancouver’s second goal.

The Red Wings regained their three-goal lead when Williams scored his second of the night with 21 seconds left in the period, but the Canucks scored with 2 seconds remaining to counter his goal, with a Matt Cooke shot deflecting off of Mathieu Schneider and into the Detroit net.

Brendan Shanahan scored Detroit’s sixth goal of the night 12 seconds into the third period, getting the puck from Datsyuk on a centering pass to him from the left wing and putting a high shot into the net.

Johan Franzen wrapped up the game’s scoring 3:30 later when his long shot evaded Auld’s glove on a shot that the Vancouver goalie could have had.

After allowing seven goals on 28 shots, Auld was replaced by Mika Noronen, who stopped all nine shots he faced. Osgood made 21 saves on 24 shots on the night.