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Red Wings edge Blackhawks as Savard drops first in regulation

Dec 15, 2006 - 4:21 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- It took a pair of former Chicago Blackhawks to hand coach Denis Savard his first regulation loss.

Daniel Cleary snapped a tie midway through the second period and Dominik Hasek made 29 saves as the Detroit Red Wings registered a 3-2 victory over the Blackhawks, who failed to record a point for the first time in nine games with Savard behind the bench.

Since taking over for the fired Trent Yawney on November 27, Savard guided the Blackhawks to a 5-0-3 record over his first eight contests. The team also was competitive against the Red Wings on Thursday but was done in by two former members.

Drafted 13th overall by Chicago in 1997, Cleary broke a 1-1 deadlock with 7:22 remaining in the middle session with his fourth goal in five games. After receiving a pass from Robert Lang, Cleary unleashed a wrist shot from the left faceoff dot that beat goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin to the glove side.

"Robert is so talented with the puck, I just know what he will do with the puck," Cleary said. "He sucked the defenseman in and made a great play to get me the puck. Then, fortunately for me, my shot went in."

It was the 11th tally of the season for Cleary, who is three shy of matching his career high set in 2000-01 while with Edmonton.

"It's always nice to play well against your old team and come out with a win," he said. "I have played them so many times since I left, though. That feeling has worn off."

Mikael Samuelsson added an insurance goal midway through the third and Hasek, who began his phenomenal NHL career with the Blackhawks in 1990-91 after being selected in the 10th round of the 1983 draft, stood his ground down the stretch to preserve Detroit's sixth win in eight games.

"We had some good chances out there and they stayed out of the net," Blackhawks center Patrick Sharp said. "That is to be expected when Hasek comes to town. ... We have to find a way to solve him in our upcoming games against him."

"Hasek made some unbelievable saves, and he made them at the right time," said Chicago's Peter Bondra, who needs one goal for 500 in his career. "I think to shoot when I should pass or just the opposite. Maybe that was part Hasek, too."

Hasek turned aside all 10 shots he faced in the opening period and made 10 more saves in the middle session before stopping nine shots in the third.

"I was very busy early, especially on their power play," Hasek said. "Actually, they kept me pretty busy the whole game. ... Winning close games is big for your confidence. 2-1, 3-2, these are the type of games you have to win."

"He played well, he really did," Savard said. "He controls the bottom of the net, we know that. You have to get the puck up against him."

Henrik Zetterberg also scored for the Red Wings, who have not lost at Chicago since December 28, 2003 - a span of six contests.

Jeff Hamilton netted his third goal in four games and Tuomo Ruutu also tallied for the Blackhawks, who fell to 1-8-1 in their last 10 overall meetings with the Red Wings.

Zetterberg opened the scoring at 3:57 of the first period with his third goal in as many games. After Pavel Datsyuk stole the puck from defenseman Brent Seabrook along the left wing boards, he cut toward the net and dished to Zetterberg, who put a one-timer between Khabibulin's pads for his 12th of the season.

Hamilton drew Chicago even at 10:44 of the second. Blue-liner Jim Vandermeer kept in a clearing attempt at the blue line and passed down low to Hamilton, who fed Patrick Sharp before burying a return pass.

Cleary put the Red Wings ahead less than two minutes later and Samuelsson put a slap shot from the right circle past Khabibulin during a power play with 8:24 to go in the third for a 3-1 advantage.

"It was important to come back right after we gave up that goal," Cleary said of his tally.

"Our power-play goal was important," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. It was nice to see how patient we were and how we moved the puck. I think we wore their penalty-killers out. The goal was a rocket."