Red Wings get within one win of tying NHL home victory record
After the Red Wings wrapped up their 19th straight home victory, Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom posed for a picture with Red Wings legend Alex Delvecchio, their smiles matching their accomplishments on the ice.
Teammate Todd Bertuzzi ensured their respective milestones would come with a win, as he practically walked in on Jonas Hiller before flipping a backhand into the net for a 2-1 shoot-out victory Friday against Anaheim that left opponents winless at Joe Louis Arena dating to Nov. 5. The Wings can tie the record Sunday night appropriately enough against the Philadelphia Flyers, who, with the Bruins, hold the NHL record with 20 straight home victories.
"We seem to be real comfortable here," coach Mike Babcock said. "It's fun that we're going to have Philly in here. We might as well tie it if we can."
The Wings earned their latest victory thanks to Bertuzzi and Justin Abdelkader, who deflected Jakub Kindl's shot in the first period. Joey MacDonald made 29 saves through overtime and only got beat by Teemu Selanne in the shoot-out. Holmstrom sported the game puck and a bloody nose afterward, the latter the result of getting run over by George Parros, who scored Anaheim's goal.
Holmstrom has made a living out of absorbing such punishment; this night, his pain was eased by a compliment from Delvecchio. "He said that if I played during their era," Holmstrom said, "they win more Stanley Cups."
Delvecchio attended the game to congratulate Lidstrom for tying his 1,549 games played in a Wings uniform, second most in franchise history behind Gordie Howe's 1,687. '
"A big night for Homer, playing in his 1,000th game," Babcock said. "We're all proud of him. And then obviously Nick, to tie Mr. Delvecchio's record here, was fantastic."
From Detroit Free Press
