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Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood reaches to stop a Boston Bruins' Marco Sturm shot as Pavel Datsyuk, of Russia, defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Chris Osgood turned aside 29 shots to earn his 50th shutout, and Pavel Datsyuk continued his hot streak with two more assists as the Detroit Red Wings blanked the Boston Bruins 2-0
The shutout moves Osgood to 23rd all-time, one behind Dave Kerr, Rogie Vachon and Curtis Joseph.
"I don't put much merit in shutouts, I don't why I never have," said Osgood following the game. "The only thing they are good for is that you know you have a great chance of winning if you get one."
"Obviously he's been a good goalie for a long period of time'" said Red Wings coach Mike Babcok of Osgood. "I thought he played well tonight. I thought they had some opportunities and he did a good job with it, so I give him a lot of credit. We basically challenged our goaltending to better and it's good it has been the last couple of games."
To listen to all of Babcock's post-game comments click the play button below.
Datsyuk assisted on Detroit's two goals to extend his point scoring streak to four games (2-6-8) and he has tied Henrik Zetterberg for the team lead with 12 points.
Zetterberg scored Detroit's first goal pouncing on a loose puck off the faceoff and wristing a shot past a surprised Tim Thomas in the Boston net just two seconds into a powerplay. Datsyuk later set up Tomas Holmstrom with a slick bit of stickwork to chip the puck around Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara before sending a backpass to Holmstrom who was charging through the slot for a tap in.
"It was a soft pass and I just had to hit the puck,"said Holmstrom of his goal, his team leading eighth and his second in the last two games.
The Red Wings were very efficient on special teams which were scarce as both teams played a disciplined game. The Red Wings powerplay was 1-for-4, although they had just 4:02 of powerplay time, and their penalty killing units were 3-for-3.
While appreciative of shutouts Osgood has alsways placed more emphasis on winning and he is closing in on his idol growing up, Grant Fuhr. Tonight's victory was Osgood's 394th win and moves him to within nine of Fuhr who won 403 games. "I grew up watching Grant Fuhr play and he was just about winning games and that's kind of my mentality, is just win, I don't really don't have that much concern with the score."
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