Hey Hey Hockey's Back

The best time of the year is here, it's October. College Football is getting into conference play, the NFL is in full swing, and ah yes, the NHL is back. The Red Wings began their season tonight, and did they look good or what? They dominated in a 4-0 win over the not Mighty anymore Ducks. Good way to start the season off, not only with a win, but a dominating performance on both ends of the ice. Let's take a look to see how that happened...

I would like to make a small side not here, in the player introduction, it was Mike Modano who got the biggest ovation. Welcome home bud.

But anyways I digress... Let's go about 5 minutes into the first period. Johan Franzen finds the back of the net on a drop off pass from Filpula. This goal was all Franzen, he scored on a tough angle and his quick release and fast shot found the back of the net. Mickey said it perfectly, by adding that "(Franzen) could be the next Wing 50 goal-scorer." I totally agree. Everything about the Mule screams goal scorer. His size, his puck handling, his quick shot, and his powerful shot. If he stays healthy, he will score 50.

Then about 26 seconds later, the Wings would find the net again. Dan Cleary had the puck in the middle of the ice, Duck's zone. While taking a hit, he dropped it off for Modano who sniped a quick writer past Jonas Hiller. Whata home coming for Modano. Didn't take him long to score his first goal as a Wing and he did it at home. Good for you Mike.

Second Period strolls along, it's 2-0 Wings. Zetterberg has the puck near the blue line, and he passes down to his Euro twin Pavel Datsyuk, who redirects it past Hiller from a weird angle. Pavel, instead of catching and shooting, angled his stick perfectly to redirect it. It was the only way he would score.

Then Dan Cleary had himself an interesting goal... Pavel threw the puck out front, as Cleary was crashing the net. The puck hit him, he crashed into Hiller. Net comes off, light goes on, ref says no goal. The play goes under review. Mick and the gang are analyzing the replays and see the same thing I do; the net coming off it's bearings before the puck crosses. But go figure, ref get's off the phone and tells JLA that it was a good hockey goal.

Oh and Pavel got a Gordie Howe Hat Trick... that was something. Pavel Datsyuk in a legit fight. He held his own against Coery Perry and the crowd loved it. Hell I loved it. It was great to see Pavel so feisty in that game. I hope to see that passion and drive from all the Wings this year.

The BEarded 3 Stars:
3rd Star Jimmy Howard
Oh Jimmy, how I ragged you last year, but yet through all that, people forget that I praised you and said you were the best starter we had, I just said you weren't there yet... But you are there now. I think this is Jimmy's year to be that star goalie that comes through our system we've never had in Detroit, not in a long time anyways. Jimmy got career shut out number four, adn hopefully there's more of that to come.
2nd Star Dan Cleary
Cleary had himself two points in the season debut, and he looked good all game long. Ripped a shot off the post, took a hit while delivering the pass to Modano for his goal. He had a Dan Cleary-esk game, and he gets the 2nd star for it.
1st Star: Pavel Datsyuk
When you get a Gordie Hat Trick, you know you had a good game. Pavel showed us something new tonight, he was aggressive, he was chippy, he got in a fight. I would love to see that the rest of the season. If he channels an aggressive style, he will become that much better of a player.

Pavel Fighting