Ted Kulfan
The Detroit News
Los Angeles -- So close to being a perfect trip, but the Red Wings will take it nonetheless.
Just seconds away from a shootout, and maybe a sweep of a three-game trip, Detroit wound up losing 3-2 to the Los Angeles Kings in overtime Saturday night.
Anze Kopitar scored with 55.1 seconds left in overtime, giving Los Angeles the victory.
The Wings (17-4-3) earned five of six possible points on the trip.
"It's still a pretty good trip," said Henrik Zetterberg, voicing the opinion of many in the Wings locker room. "You want to get that second point but we got the one (point), and it was a close game. They played real well but we played well, too. One team got the win, and unfortunately it was them this time."
Jonathan Ericsson and Todd Bertuzzi scored for the Wings, who saw their four-game win streak come to an end.
Justin Williams and Alec Martinez also scored for the Kings, who have won two consecutive games after having lost seven of nine.
Wings goaltender Chris Osgood returned to the lineup after missing more than a month (Oct. 30 was his last game) with groin problems.
Osgood made 22 saves, but had several big ones in the third period with the game in the balance.
"I felt pretty good the whole time," Osgood said. "I didn't feel too far from where I was previously (before the injury). I felt good.
"We got tired (at the end). We gave ourselves a chance to win the game but it didn't happen."
Wings coach Mike Babcock liked what he saw from Osgood, and from the Wings.
"He was fine," Babcock said. "We had a good road trip, we set ourselves up good to get the win in this one but didn't get it done. They have a good team and we know it. Our energy wasn't great, but we stuck to it and clawed away at it."
The Wings were scheduled to fly back home late Saturday and play San Jose on Monday at Joe Louis Arena.
"We have to be ready the first 10 minutes," Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. "It does help (it's against San Jose). We just played them a few nights ago and it's an easy game to get up for.
Dec. 5, 2010
