be above their guys and make it small for them so you can create

MONTREAL -- There was something familiar about the way coach Mike Babcocks Detroit Red Wings checking smothered the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.Stevan Ridley Patriots Jersey . It was almost exactly like the way Babcocks Team Canada won gold at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The result was a 2-1 Red Wings victory on Swedish Olympian Gustav Nyquists rebound goal with 28 seconds left in overtime. "(Babcock) always stressed that we play this way," said Johan Franzen, who returned from a concussion to assist on both Detroit goals. "This is how you win games. "Especially coming down the stretch here and going into the playoffs, this is how you have to play hockey. Youve got to track like never before, and always be above their guys and make it small for them so you can create turnovers. Then you give your team a lot of opportunities." Franzen set up a power-play goal 14:01 into the first period by Todd Bertuzzi for Detroit (27-20-12). Captain Brian Gionta scored for Montreal (32-21-7) with 29 seconds left in regulation time after goalie Peter Budaj was pulled for an extra attacker. Babcocks defence-first style helped Canada go 6-0 at the Olympics, surrendering only three goals along the way. Giontas goal was the first against a Babcock-coached team since Lauris Darzins got one at 15:41 of the first period of Canadas 2-1 quarter-final win over Latvia. Canada shut out the United States 1-0 in the semifinals and then topped Sweden 3-0 in the final on Sunday. "Its tough to compare," said Nyquist. "Its a different style of game on a smaller rink here. "It was an adjustment for a few guys out there. But it was nice to get the win." There were a handful of Olympians of both sides who had trickled back over the past week as their teams were eliminated. It made for slow, scrambling hockey with few good scoring chances on either side. Detroit had a 30-20 shot advantage, and fans booed as Montreal tested Jimmy Howard only twice in the second frame. "Im sure guys noticed the time difference a bit," said Nyquist. "You have to battle through it. "It was the middle of the night in Sochi, but weve been back for three days and were starting to get it back. Well get some sleep before we play in Ottawa (on Thursday night)." The Canadiens salvaged a point when Gionta collected a puck at the side of the net in a scramble and backhanded the tying goal into a top corner. "The execution was not there tonight for both teams," said Montreal coach Michel Therrien. "Both teams played solid defensively. "There wasnt much space on the ice. But we put ourselves in position to get a point. Its disappointing that we didnt score in overtime or get to the shootout." Franzen fed Bertuzzi at the edge of the crease for a power-play goal 14:01 into the game after Canadian Olympian P.K. Subban was called for roughing. Bertuzzi returned to the lineup after missing eight games with an upper-body problem. Franzen had sat out six in a row and 21 of the last 22 with his concussion, but said he felt fine after the game. In overtime, Franzen tipped a Danny DeKeyser shot and the rebound went to Nyquist for a shot into an open side. Budaj had been slated to start in goal for Montreal even before Canadian Olympian Carey Price suffered a lower-body injury during the teams game-day skate. He is to start again when Montreal visits Pittsburgh on Thursday night. The 21,273 at the Bell Centre gave a rousing ovation to 12 members of Canadian mens and womens hockey gold medallist teams from the Sochi Olympics in a pre-game ceremony. The biggest cheers went to Marie-Philip Poulin, who had two goals in the womens final, and to Babcock and Canadiens players Price and Subban. Notes: Canadiens Alex Galchenyuk and Travis Moen returned from injuries, but Michael Bournival and Brandon Prust remain sidelined. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski was recalled from AHL Hamilton. . . The Red Wings played the 3,000th road game of their history. They are 1,086-1,439-475 away from Detroit.Rob Ninkovich Jersey . Ausmus says he realized his words were insensitive and in poor taste as soon as they left his mouth. The first-year manager was asked after Detroits 2-1 loss to Kansas City on Wednesday how his mood is when he heads home from the ballpark these days. Tim Wright Patriots Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. VANCOUVER -- The struggling Vancouver Canucks cant seem to catch a break on the injury front. The team announced Thursday that centre Mike Santorelli has undergone surgery to repair a torn labrum and will be out five to six months, effectively ending his season. The news came after assistant coach Mike Sullivan told reporters defenceman Kevin Bieksa wont accompany the Canucks on their five-game road trip that leads into the Olympic break. "Its more than (a maintenance day)," said Sullivan of Bieksas absence from practice. "He is not going to join us on the trip. "We dont know the details of it yet. When we get more information well update you." On top of that, fellow defenceman Christopher Tanev is out with whats believed to be a broken hand. Captain Henrik Sedin has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury, although Sullivan expects him back soon. "Hes still day-to-day, but I believe he will join us on this trip and we are hopeful that well get him at some point here," said Sullivan. It all adds up to a very busy sick bay for a team that has just four wins in its last 15 games (4-8-3), including just two victories in regulation. The loss of Santorelli hurts up front as the Canucks have been held to two goals or less in nine of their last 10 games. The 28-year-old, who was injured Jan. 16, had 10 goals and 18 assists in 49 games this season. A native of nearby Burnaby, B.C., Santorelli impressed head coach John Tortorella in training camp and became one his most trusted players the first half of the season. "After consultation with our team physicians, we determined Mike would require a procedure on his shoulder," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis saiid in statement. Rob Gronkowski Red Jersey. "The surgery was successful and we expect a full recovery." Santorelli -- who can become an unrestricted free agent in July -- had been a journeyman in the league until appearing to find a home with the Canucks. He was put on waivers by the Florida Panthers last season and picked up by the Winnipeg Jets before signing with Vancouver. The loss of Bieksa, who has four goals and 15 assists in 55 games this season, is also a significant blow. To take the 32-year-olds place on the blue-line, the Canucks recalled defenceman Frank Corrado of the American Hockey Leagues Utica Comets. The 20-year-old played six games for Vancouver earlier this season but has yet to register a point. Meanwhile, Tortorella still has one game to go in his six-game suspension for trying to get into the Calgary Flames locker-room after that infamous first-period line brawl Jan. 18. The fiery head coach, who had been on his best behaviour since coming to Vancouver prior to that incident, will sit out Friday games against the Winnipeg Jets before returning Monday against the Detroit Red Wings. What he will find is a team with a 27-19-9 record thats in a dogfight for one of the two Western Conference wild-card spots, a position the Canucks arent accustomed to after winning division titles five of the last six years. "We have to be a resilient group. We understand the circumstance, everybodys looking for the result," said Sullivan. "Resilience and attitude is a big part of having success in this league, because inevitably, most teams go through adversity where they lose a few games or things dont go their way, they hit the injury bug, whatever it may be -- sometimes its all of the above." cheap jerseys ' ' '