2011 NHL Playoffs: Detroit Red Wings vs. Pheonix Coyotes Game 1 Analysis

As the horn to end the second period sounded last night in the jam-packed Joe Louis Arena you could sense a bit of relief throughout the city. The Wings, who had brought the regular season to a close with some weak play and an even weaker record, sure turned it up last night for Game 1 of the playoffs.

The first period started off much like the last two weeks of the season, slow and sloppy with telegraphed passes directly on the tape of Coyotes and missed coverage in the defensive end. This was evident when Kyle Turris snuck right behind Johan Franzen and Darren Helm and received a perfectly placed pass from ex-Wing Ray Whitney. It probably didn't help the Wings momentum having eight penalty minutes in the first 20 played, including over a minute's worth of 5-on-3 play. But these penalty kills were different than they have been as of late—they were good...and successful.

I was very impressed with the Wings aggressiveness and willingness to sacrifice the body to block shots (Niklas Kronwall in particular). Jimmy Howard also played phenomenal during the first to keep the Red Wings alive when they were looking a little rough. Goalies in Detroit just never receive the credit they deserve; if Wings win 4-2 analysts look at the goal scorers and say they had great games. For a Detroit goaltender to get the credit he deserves he almost has to shut out 50 shots from Malkin and Crosby and the Wings have to win 1-0. But anyways, if it weren't for some acrobatic saves that would tear a normal man's groin in half, this game would have been over in the first.

The Red Wings seemed to regain some of their form from the past 19 years in the playoffs for the second and came out flying. Yes, the Wings did get a pretty wraparound goal from Pavel Datsyuk, and maybe some luck when Franzen blasted a wrist shot from the blue line past Ilya Bryzgalov, but the two goals and the goal resulting from a power play from Brian Rafalski were all the effects of good ol' hard work. The Wings out-skated, out-hit and out-worked the 'Yotes the entire second period and much of the third.

Early in the third a nice pinch at his own blue line from Jonathan Ericsson caused a breakout pass to Jiri Hudler, who absolutely sniped Bryzgalov giving the Wings a 4-1 lead, which would prove to be enough. The Wings closed out the second period and continued to battle hard into the third, killing off a critical power play shortly after the 'Yotes scored a fluke goal to bring them within two with 12 minutes still remaining. That proved to be enough as the seconds ticked off the clock and crowd began the traditional "Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit" during a whistle. The Red Wings put forth a dominating performance in Game 1.

My Personal Three Stars

• Jimmy Howard, who was fantastic and literally held the Wings in this game when down 1-0.
• Johan Franzen, who hopefully broke that scoring funk and began his typical postseason tear with a goal that eventually would stand as the game-tying goal
• Todd Bertuzzi, who brought even more buzz to the Joe dropping the gloves and then at least trying to throw a huge hit in the second.