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RED WINGS 2, Sabres 0
Hot Wings blank Sabres
The Sabres, who lost in last season's Stanley Cup finals to the Dallas Stars, struggled with Detroit's defense which was bolstered by the trade late last season that brought Chris Chelios and the acquisition just before training camp of Steve Duchesne.
Detroit outshot the Sabres 44-22.
Buffalo goaltender Dominik Hasek, who played sparingly during the exhibition season while recovering from a hernia operation, was sometimes brilliant, even in defeat. The two-time MVP and five-time Vezina Trophy winner, who turns 35 in January, has announced he will retire at the end of this season.
The game was a fast-paced affair dominated by sometimes spectacular goaltending at both ends until Draper's goal gave Detroit a 1-0 lead with 1:28 left in the first period.
The goal was mostly the result of Draper's tenacity. He made a nice move around a defenseman to get the shot off from the right circle, then chased the puck to the other circle, wheeled and flipped in his own rebound.
Duchesne, looking perfectly comfortable in his new surroundings, rifled a shot from just inside the blue line that Holstrom -- at the edge of the left circle -- redirected under the crossbar before Hasek could react. That gave Detroit a 2-0 lead at 5:15 of the second.
Chelios also got an assist on the goal, leaving him just one point shy of 800 for his career.
Osgood, who had three shutouts last season, made two good saves to frustrate Geoff Sanderson, once in the first period and again with 6:27 in the second when Sanderson broke in alone while the Sabres were shorthanded.
Osgood scrambled to cover up a loose puck with Michal Grosek bearing down on the crease at 4:31 of the third period.
Hasek made a diving glove save on a blistering shot by Nicklas Lidstrom at 6:21 of the first period and came up big to rob Sergei Fedorov at close range 40 seconds into the second period. Hasek made another good save to prevent a second goal by Draper 5:21 into the third period.
Hasek, after fending off a rapid succession of shots, got a laugh and a round of applause from the 19,983 fans at Joe Louis Arena with 10:36 left in the third period. Immediately after a whistle that stopped the barrage, Hasek picked up the puck and tossed it out to the blue line. He then raised his arms -- palms up -- as if to say, "What else can I do?"
Summary
----------------------------- Buffalo 0 0 0--0 Detroit 1 1 0--2 ----------------------------- FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Detroit, Draper 1 (Lidstrom, Murphy), 18:32. Penalties: Chelios, Det (elbowing), 6:57; Varada, Buf (Obstr holding), 7:01; Varada, Buf (high sticking), 18:57; Grosek, Buf (interference), 7:22; Larionov, Det (holding stick), 9:24. SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Detroit, Holmstrom 1 (Duchesne, Chelios), 5:15. Penalties: Woolley, Buf (slashing), 12:33. THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: Shanahan, Det (cross checking), 4:31; Woolley, Buf (slashing), 5:31; Campbell, Buf (interference), 10:56; S Barnes, Buf (roughing), 11:46; Kozlov, Det (roughing), 11:46. Shots on goal: --------------------------------- Buffalo 10 5 7--22 Detroit 19 10 15--44 --------------------------------- Power-play Conversions: Buf - 0 of 3, Det - 0 of 6. Goalies: Buffalo, Hasek (44 shots, 42 saves; record: 0-1-0). Detroit, Osgood (22, 22; record: 1-0-0). A:19,983. Referees: Shick, Zelkin. Linesmen: D Mccourt, Mcelman.
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