DETROIT (AP) - Red Wings coach Mike Babcock admitted that
Detroit is not yet in regular-season form.
Don't worry. The Stanley Cup champions will get there soon
enough.
"We're not ready yet, but we will be," Babcock said. "The
first 20 games is so vital in the National Hockey League. You get
your confidence."
Ty Conklin made 21 saves, and Johan Franzen scored two goals in
Detroit's 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night. It was
the final exhibition game for each team.
The Red Wings will open the regular season Thursday against
Toronto at home.
Ville Leino also scored for Detroit (6-1-2) and Nicklas Lidstrom
assisted on all three goals.
Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom returned to the lineup after
each missed time due to groin injuries. They will make up the Red
Wings' top line along with free agent acquisition Marian Hossa, who
didn't play Sunday.
"It looks like everything is fine. It's better if I play a
couple of games before, but there was just one," Datsyuk said.
"Top line not together ... It's a long, long season and we're
looking forward. There's lots of chances to play together."
Conklin got the shutout, but a puck did get past him.
Television replays showed Derek Roy's shot off a goal-mouth
scramble got past Conklin and into the net. But Red Wings
defenseman Brian Rafalski knocked it out, and play continued. When
a stoppage came a little over a minute later, replays showed the
Joe Louis Arena crowd that the puck was in the net. Despite that,
the goal wasn't allowed.
"They told me they had no video replay on it ... (Conklin) said
he didn't see it either," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "It's
tough. Ty Conklin has been tough on us, we get one and it doesn't
count."
Ryan Miller stopped 23 shots for Buffalo (2-4-1).
Franzen opened the scoring 2:54 into the third period, and Leino
scored his third exhibition goal just 1:52 later. Franzen added an
empty-netter, his fifth goal, with one second left.
Notes: The Red Wings assigned C Justin Abdelkader, C Cory
Emmerton, RW Jan Mursak and LW Mattias Ritola to Grand Rapids of
the AHL after the game.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)