Selection of three stars not so easy

November 26, 11:26 PMDetroit Red Wings ExaminerMike Mouat

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Detroit Red Wings Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

As I took my seat in the last row of section 211A at Joe Louis Arena -- also known as the press box -- at 7:00 p.m. for the Red Wings game against the Montreal Canadiens, I was informed by Greg Innes, the minister of statistics and research for Detroit, that I was going to be responsible for selecting the three stars.

Seems simple enough, right? After all, I’ve done it hundreds of times at home after watching a game on my television.

But at about 7:15 a wave of panic came over me. This time my selections were going to be announced by public address announcer Budd Lynch following the game, for all fans in attendance to hear. This time my selections were not guaranteed to receive the unanimous approval they enjoy in the privacy of my home where I fully endorse every selection I make.

As the fans filled the arena I could sense the pressure that is attached to such an important task. This was an Original Six matchup and potential Stanley Cup preview. To top it off many Canadians travelled across the border to cheer on the Montreal Canadiens and there was a buzz in the building.

Now from past experience I know that the staff at Joe Louis Arena requires the selections with five minutes left in the third period. I break into a cold sweat as I recall that three of the seven home games this season have been decided in overtime or shootout, well after the five-minute-remaining mark.

The game gets started and the action takes my mind off the daunting task I face, and my breathing returns to normal.

The first period features end-to-end action as both teams showcase their speed. Montreal enjoys two power plays in the period and Tomas Plekanec has a couple of good opportunities to score. The Canadiens out shoot Detroit 11-8 and Ty Conklin and Carey Price play well, as do the Red Wings penalty killers.

No standout performance at this stage of the game, but it’s still early. I had hoped that someone would have scored a hat trick, all set up by a line mate, and their goalie would be steady and on his way to a shutout.

The Canadiens opened the scoring in the second period when Maxim Lapierre’s centering attempt went in off Nicklas Lidstrom’s skate. They extended their lead to 2-0 when Plekanec finally converted a power play opportunity and Chris Higgins extended the lead to 3-0. For Detroit Tomas Kopecky is the only player to distinguish himself. Price maintained his shutout by turning aside all eight shots he faced.

Montreal played very conservatively in the third period and are content to let their three goals carry them to victory. Detroit picks up the pace on offense and attacked the Montreal zone in waves. Kopecky continued to create opportunities and Price continued to stone the Wings at every turn. I started to settle on my choices and there were about seven minutes remaining. And just as quick as I typed that sentence, Johan Franzen scores on a beautiful rush and threw a small wrench in my best laid choices with 6:29 remaining in the game, and more precisely with just a minute and half until I had to submit my choices.

I tried to stall in order to make my final choice, and finally wrote down my choices. Despite a great game by Kopecky I chose Franzen for his spectacular goal. The second star was Tomas Plekanec whose power play goal in the second period stood the game winner, and Price was the first star.

Now I waited anxiously for the game to end without any further action over the final five minutes of play, but of course there was. Montreal appeared to score another goal on a scramble and to my relief it appeared as though Plekanec was the scorer. What luck! And as luck would have it the goal was called off after video review.

Finally to my relief the horn sounded and the game was over. Price turned aside 15 shots in the third period alone and 32 overall and is full value for the first star. Plekanec finished with four shots and the game-winning goal, and Franzen scored the lone Red Wings goal. Other notables who received consideration were Kopecky from Detroit and Chris Higgins of Montreal.