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Datsyuk, Lidstrom ignite Red Wings to 2-0 series lead

Apr 15, 2007 - 9:46 PM DETROIT (Ticker) - Pavel Datsyuk and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom got the Detroit Red Wings off to a quick start. Lidstrom also succeeded in stifling Jarome Iginla again.

Datsyuk and Lidstrom scored in the first 3:50 of the game and rookie Valtteri Filppula added a third-period goal to lead the top-seeded Red Wings to a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames and a two-games-to-none lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

The best-of-seven series shifts to Calgary for Game Three on Tuesday.

Last year, the Red Wings were the top seed in the West and lost in the first round to the eighth-seeded Edmonton Oilers, four games to two after splitting the first two at home.

This time, Detroit maintained its home-ice advantage with wins in the first two games, outshooting the eighth-seeded Flames, 97-35, including 51-15 on Sunday.

"We're allowing 50 shots a game and you're not going to win any games allowing 50 shots," Calgary left wing Alex Tanguay said.

Under siege in the series, Miikka Kiprusoff has managed to make 90 saves for the Flames.

"We're coming out aggressively and getting the early jump," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "Pavel got the first one and then we took advantage of a power-play. Defensively, we have played very well."

Datsyuk, Detroit's leading scorer with 87 points this season, had failed to score a goal in 26 playoff games before he ended the drought in Game One on Thursday.

The Russian center struck quickly on Sunday, scoring just 62 seconds into the game. Datsyuk stepped between Tanguay and Craig Conroy at the right boards, skated toward the middle of the faceoff circles and fired a shot past Kiprusoff.

"When we're winning, it doesn't really matter who gets the goals," Datsyuk said.

With the crowd in a frenzy from Datsyuk's goal, Calgary's Rhett Warrener was penalized for hooking at 2:15 and Conroy was whistled for high-sticking 40 seconds later.

"Our game plan was not to take unnecessary penalties," Flames coach Jim Playfair said. "Obviously, this was a problem for us."

Detroit capitalized on the 5-on-3 advantage as Lidstrom blasted a shot from the top of the right circle past a screened Kiprusoff at the 3:50 mark for his second goal of the series. Defenseman Mathieu Schneider set up the goal when he knocked down a clearing attempt from the left point before passing across to Lidstrom.

"Mathieu really made the goal happen by keeping the puck in the zone," Lidstrom said. "(Tomas) Holmstrom was in front of Kiprusoff in front so I don't think he saw the shot."

Kiprusoff made 21 saves in the first period alone when the Red Wings outshot Calgary, 23-8.

Detroit's Dominik Hasek faced 15 shots for the entire game.

The Flames pulled within 2-1 when defenseman Dion Phaneuf scored a power-play goal 2:42 into the second period. Phaneuf fired a shot between the circles that deflected off defenseman Chris Chelios' midsection before fluttering over Hasek's glove.

Kiprusoff stopped all 12 shots he faced in the second period as the Red Wings held a 35-11 advantage in shots, but were just one goal ahead.

Detroit did not get the lead back to two goals until Filppula scored off a rebound with 13:55 left in the third period.

Kiprusoff made a right pad save on a shot from the right circle by Johan Franzen, but Filppula fired in the rebound from the lower left circle for his second goal of the series.

"Franzen had a good shot, difficult shot for Kiprusoff and it came right to me," Filppula said. "I just tried to shoot it right away, too, and I think it hit his (Kiprusoff's) shoulder or something and bounced in."

Iginla, Calgary's leading scorer this season with 39 goals and 94 points, was held without a point for the second straight game. Lidstrom was again utilized by Babcock when Iginla was on the ice and succeeded in keeping Calgary's powerful right wing away from Hasek, who needed to make only 14 saves.

Iginla at least managed two shots on goal in Game Two after failing to get one on net in the series opener.

"Shots aren't easy to come by against them," Iginla said. "I just have to make the shots count when I get the chances."

The Red Wings again played without physical right wing Todd Bertuzzi, who suffered a concussion in the next-to-last game of the regular season.

Calgary defenseman Robyn Regehr returned after missing Game One with a knee injury, but left in the second period after colliding with Detroit's Kris Draper. He will be evaluated on Monday.