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Despite late arrival Red Wings rout Wild

Sep 19, 2007 - 3:05 AM By Mike Weimerskirch PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - A thunderstorm slowed down the Detroit Red Wings, but not for long.

Chris Chelios and Pavel Datsyuk each scored power-play goals, as the Red Wings defeated the Minnesota Wild 6-1 on Tuesday in the first preseason contest for both teams.

Detroit looked sharp from the opening faceoff, despite the fact that its plane arrived in Minnesota less than 90 minutes before the scheduled start.

Chelios, preparing for his 24th NHL season, fired a slap shot inside the left post on the power play late in the first period, while Minnesota enforcer Derek Boogaard was serving a five minute major for interference.

Chelios then assisted on Datsyuk's goal 80 seconds later on a two-man advantage, giving Detroit a 3-0 lead.

Datsyuk, the Red Wings leading scorer last year with 87 points, lifted a backhand into the upper lefthand corner off a pass from Tomas Holmstrom with two minutes remaining in the first period. Datsyuk and Holmstrom also teamed up on the game's first goal, assisting on Johan Franzen's rebound goal three minutes into the game.

Franzen scored a goal in the third period, finishing with two goals and an assist while Holmstrom added three assists.

Niklas Backstrom, expected to be the mainstay in net for the Wild this season after the departure of veteran goaltender Manny Fernandez, looked shaky in his start, allowing four goals on 17 shots. He was replaced by Josh Harding midway through the second period.

Jimmy Howard, a second-round pick in the 2003 NHL draft, started in goal for Detroit, allowing just one goal in 29 minutes of play. Howard made a blocker save on Marian Gaborik's shorthanded breakaway five minutes into the first period to keep the score 1-0.

The Wild got a brief lift early in the second period when Pavol Demitra poked home a loose puck to cut the lead to 3-1. Matt Foy, who played nine games with Minnesota at the beginning of last season before being returned to the minors, assisted on Demitra's goal.

Centers Brian Rolston and Mikko Koivu, right wing Mark Parrish and defenseman Keith Carney did not dress for Minnesota. Defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, center Kris Draper, right wing Daniel Cleary and left wing Henrik Zetterberg sat out for the Red Wings.