Red Wings Open With 2-1 Win Over Sabres
LARRY LAGE, AP Hockey Writer
DETROIT (AP) — Pavel Datsyuk and Mikael Samuelsson scored 36 seconds apart midway through the first period and the Detroit Red Wings held on to beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 Wednesday night in the season-opener for both teams.
Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard turned the puck over, allowing Zemgus Girgensons to score in his NHL debut with 7:24 left in the game. Howard tried to clear the puck from behind his net, but it hit Buffalo's Brian Flynn and popped over the net to set up Girgensons' backhander that pulled the Sabres within a goal.
Howard made 19 saves in Detroit's debut in the Eastern Conference, playing an Atlantic Division game against the young Sabres.
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