Mrazek Shines as Avalanche Fall to Detroit

In Denver, Colorado the Detroit Red Wings (30-12-9) take on their arch rivals from the west, the Colorado Avalanche (22-19-11). In what is guaranteed to be a chippy one with bad blood between the two teams, going back to the 1997 brawl.

First period, with just 44 seconds into the game Jonathan Ericsson (Detroit) and Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado) drop the gloves resulting in the first and only fight in tonight's chippy yet rough game between the two teams. Then as Avalanche seemed to be in control this period they keep firing shots at Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek but with no luck as he shuts the door. When later on in the first its Gabriel Landeskog who puts the Avalanche on the board first. Oh so it seemed but after review the goal was reversed because of a hand pass from Nick Holden resulting in the game to remained tied 0-0 as the Red Wings catch a break after one.

In the second we go as the Avalanche still remain to be putting some pressure on the Red Wings, Max Talbot on the rush fires one at Mrazek, but he is there with the glove save to remains stone cold resulting in the Avalanche not being able to capitalise. Then momentum begins to shift as Detroit goes on the power play and its Justin Abdelkader who scores his 12th of the year on a bad rebound given up from Semyon Varlamov to give the Red Wings a 1-0 lead to end the second.

To the third we go as it is all Red Wings from here. As Colorado coach Patrick Roy decides to pull goalie Varlamov to give them an extra skater and make it 6 on 5 to try and tie the game up with more than three minutes left in the game. But all for not as Darren Helm scores the empty net goal for his 10th of the season to give the Red Wings a 2-0 lead. Then 2 minutes later Avalanche net still empty Luke Glendening from the Detroit zone throws the puck up ice which goes straight into the Colorado the empty net to score his 7th of the season. As the Detroit Red Wings beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-0, as for Petr Mrazek he picks up his first shut out the season as the Wings pick up the win in Colorado.