Game 1 goes to Detroit, Osgood

The Red Wings’ goalie made 31 saves and slowed the Penguins’ star players in a 3-1 victory.

DETROIT (AP) — The Stanley Cup finals opener was full of flashbacks.

Pittsburgh superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were slowed down and the Detroit Red Wings scored some fortunate goals.

Johan Franzen scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period and Chris Osgood made 31 saves, helping the defending champion Red Wings beat the Penguins 3-1 on Saturday night in Game 1.

Franzen and Brad Stuart had goals that went off Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, whose sat on a shot that trickled in for Detroit’s series-clinching goal last year.

“We’re going to have to get goals like that,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “I don’t think there are going to be a whole lot of skill plays.”

Crosby, though, didn’t have such luck when his third-period shot went off Osgood, a post and landed in the middle of the goalie’s back as lay on the ice.

Detroit rookie Justin Abdelkader scored his first playoff goal early in the third, providing a cushion.

“It’s a race to four, and they got one,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said.

The NHL and its TV partners likely were happy with how the first Stanley Cup finals rematch in a quarter-century got started.

The action, especially in the first period, matched the hype.

“When you’ve been here before, you know what to expect so you’re ready to start on time,” Babcock said.

Detroit’s first goal of the series brought back memories of its last Cup-clinching goal.

Stuart simply dumped the puck behind Fleury and was rewarded with a fortunate carom that sent the puck off Fleury’s right skate and across the goal line with 6:22 left in the first period.

“They got some fortunate breaks,” Bylsma said.

The Penguins tied it when Malkin baited Stuart into trying to clear a puck off the boards and took advantage of the turnover with a slap shot that Osgood couldn’t control, leading to Ruslan Fedotenko’s backhander off the rebound.

Pittsburgh had a breakaway and two power plays in the first half of the second period, and had nothing to show for it.

Osgood got part of his glove on Malkin’s wrist shot on the breakaway, and Detroit’s penalty killers limited the Penguins to two shots on their first play and none on their second.

“The goalie is the most important player every night,” Babcock said. “It’s hockey.”

Osgood had to make a pair of saves two-thirds of the way through the second, denying Miroslav Satan on a shot just outside of the crease after Malkin set him up beautifully and turning away Crosby’s backhander after a spectacular spin move.

Moments later, the Red Wings went on the power play for the first time and Fleury came through for Pittsburgh.

Brian Rafalski’s blast was smothered by Fleury with a thud despite Tomas Holmstrom standing right in front of the goalie to obscure his vision.

Detroit went ahead 2-1 in the final minute, scoring again off the boards and Fleury.

Rafalski shot bounced off the boards, Franzen got to the loose puck and flipped a backhander over and off Fleury and into the net.