Detroit -- Maybe someone should tell the Red Wings that they've changed the time of the games back to 7 p.m. instead of 7:30. Then they might get going a little quicker.
It's only six games into the regular season but the Wings don't want to get into the habit of falling behind and then having to fight to get back in the game.
The Wings fell behind 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period of Thursday night's game against the Calgary Flames before rallying to post a 4-2 victory.
"We've got to find a way to start on time," goaltender Jimmy Howard said. "We've got to stop spotting teams the lead here in the first period. Once they drop the puck here at the beginning of the first, we need to step on the gas pedal."
Fortunately for the Wings, Howard was equal to the task, stopping 14 of Calgary's 16 first-period shots to keep it to a one-goal deficit. In all, Howard had 34 saves.
Howard improved to 3-0 with a 1.69 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.
"I thought our goalie was real good early," coach Mike Babcock said. "We weren't very good in the first period, didn't win any battles, didn't skate good. It kind of looked like the first period in Phoenix. I thought we played much better from that point on.
"You can't be spotting the other team goals and you can't be playing like that in your own building. We gave up 16 shots today (in the first) and found a way to win the game and that's what it's all about. We're in a big home stand here and you gotta look after that. I thought Calgary was better than us in the first period, quicker, stronger on pucks and in the end we were able to overcome it. But not every night your goalie's going to throw up a wall like that to give you a chance."
Both Henrik Zetterberg and Nick Lidstrom scored their first goals of the season.
Johan Franzen returned to the lineup after missing a game because of a concussion and got the game-winner on an odd play. Franzen dug the puck out from the side of the Flames net and got it onto the shoulder of goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff. The puck fell off his shoulder and went into the net. A review of the play upheld the goal.
"The way it was sitting on his shoulder and he kind of fell into the net, I didn't see the puck but if gravity's working, it should have been in," Franzen said.
Franzen said not playing since last Saturday might have been the reason for the slow start.
"We haven't been exactly great the first period," Franzen said. "I think the last three teams have out-shot us coming in here. We've got to find a way to start better. We hadn't played for four or five days now so maybe that was an issue. We've got to be ready."
One area the Wings could improve on is turnovers. They had 13 Thursday, compared to the Flames' four.
"We could skate way better than we're skating right now and play way faster," Babcock said. "We have to figure it out as a group. The puck's not helping us right now, we're turning it over too much so we spend a lot of time back-checking."
It's way too early to hit the panic button, especially since the Wings are 4-1-1 to start the season, but it's certainly not too early to clean those things up.
A kid from Vasteras
Both of Calgary's goals were scored by Mikael Backlund, a 21-year-old from Vasteras, Sweden, Lidstrom's hometown.
"He's very skilled," Lidstrom said. "He's a young kid. He's going to be a very good player in this league. I know who he is. I met him a couple times before. He's a couple years younger than me (19 to be precise)."
Bert the goalie?
Todd Bertuzzi, who scored an insurance goal with 3:17 left in the game, amused Howard after Howard stopped Alex Tanguay on a breakaway with 29 seconds left in the game.
"I was just laughing because Bert (was) behind me, Bert, he likes to play net in the summertime with his kids so he was like, 'Don't worry, I was behind you, Howie,'" Howard said.
Oct. 21, 2010
