Celebrating Season Opening Win, Babcock Says Red Wings Are A 'Way Quicker Team' Than Last Year
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
JOE LOUIS ARENA (CBS DETROIT) - The Detroit Red Wings won their season opener over the Boston Bruins, 2-1, and head coach Mike Babcock liked what he saw Thursday night.
"I thought we played real hard," Babcock said. "I think, much like last year when we won opening night and then went into Boston, I didn't think they had as much juice as they normally have. I thought our team worked real hard ... [Jimmy Howard] didn't have much work early but made some good saves late. Our penalty killing was good ... Our power play wasn't great early but managed to score a goal, so good night for us.
"We're a way quicker team than [last year's] team was on opening day," Babcock added. "Now we have to continue to move the puck better and get better structurally so we can be way faster than we were tonight, but I like lots of things about us."
The Bruins did not get their first shot on goal until 12:01 into the first period, but when they finally did shoot, they scored. The unassisted goal by Patrice Bergeron put Boston on top, 1-0.
"Howie sits there for 25 minutes, doesn't get any shots, then the first one goes over his shoulder, and you're saying to yourself, 'Well this isn't very good,' but I thought he had good focus," Babcock said. "Howie's been good. He's been dialed in. He obviously worked real hard in the offseason. You get rewarded for that work, so that's good for him."
Howard struggled last season, finishing with a goals against average of 2.66, significantly higher than his numbers from the previous two years. After giving up the one goal to Bergeron in the first period, however, Howard held the Bruins scoreless the rest of the game.
A goal deflected in by Justin Abdelkader tied the game, 1-1, at 3:52 into the second period, and later that period the Red Wings got another goal from 25-year-old center Gustav Nyquist, who seemed to pick up where he left off last season, when he led the team with 28 goals as star veterans Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk missed time with injuries. Nyquist came through with the go-ahead power play goal Thursday, and his shot turned out to be the winner.
"No surprise," Howard said. "He's a great player. He's a hard worker. He works hard in practice. He stays after and works on his game, so it's no surprise. He's got that knack for the net, that nose. He's always in the right place at the right time, it seems."
The Red Wings converted on just one of four power play opportunities Thursday, and they struggled in that area last season. At least in the season opener, however, one was enough.
"You knew eventually that unit was going to come through for us," Howard said. "They're working hard, and throughout the preseason they had a lot of great looks and just nothing went in. Great to see something go in for them."
The Red Wings play the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, and then Wednesday they host the Bruins again.