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DETROIT -- Gustav Nyquist is making the most of his opportunity to play a lot for the injury-depleted Detroit Red Wings. Will Montgomery . Nyquist had two goals and Jimmy Howard made 31 saves to help the Red Wings hold on to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Tuesday night. The 24-year-old Nyquist has 19 goals in 43 games after he had a total of four goals in 40 games spread out over the previous two seasons in the league. Entering the game against Toronto, he was tied with Bostons Jarome Iginla with an NHL-high 12 goals since Jan. 20. "I didnt know that," Nyquist said. "Im just playing with some good players and Im getting some good bounces." While Nyquist is being humble about his goal-scoring stretch, teammate Daniel Alfredsson raved about the fellow Swede. "Hes really pesky on the forecheck and hes making a lot of plays," Alfredsson said. "His speed gives him chances that other players dont get. The second goal was a perfect example." Early in the third period, Nyquist poked the puck off the boards to himself and charged up the ice early to flick a wrist shot from the right circle that beat James Reimers blocker. That goal seemed to set the Red Wings up for the victory, but they still had work to do. Jake Gardiner scored on a power play midway through the third to pull Toronto within a goal. The Maple Leafs appeared to tie the game less than two minutes later, but Nazem Kardris goal was waved off because he made a kicking motion to knock the puck in with the inside of his right skate. The Red Wings went ahead by two goals again with 2:33 left when Alfredssons wrist shot from the slot hit the back of the net on an odd-man rush that Gardiner lamented. "I thought we were going to come back at the end, but we made a mistake," Gardiner said. The Maple Leafs pulled Reimer to add an extra skater seconds later and James van Riemsdyk scored with 1:13 left, but couldnt get the puck past Howard again to extend the game past regulation. "Not a lot of space out on the ice," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said. Reimer stopped 28 shots for the Maple Leafs. Detroit is desperately trying to move up in the Eastern Conference standings to extend its post-season streak to 23 with a fraction of the team it expected to have this season. Toronto is the first of two wild-card teams in the East, and the Red Wings wouldnt make the playoffs is they started Wednesday. "A huge win for us," Nyquist said. "Also very important they didnt get a point too and we got two." The Red Wings lost forward Justin Abdelkader to a leg laceration in Sundays loss at Chicago, leading to the team calling up 22-year-old Landon Ferraro, son of former NHL player Ray Ferraro. "I was a little nervous at the beginning," Landon Ferraro acknowledged. Ferraro said it was "awesome" to have both his parents watch him play his first game for the Red Wings. "It was real nice for both of them to be able to get in and be here for this," he said before chatting with his father in the dressing room after the game. Abdelkaders injury also put 25-year-old defenceman Brendan Smith at forward for the first time since he was a teenager against Toronto. The banged-up team, which had won just two of their previous seven games, took another hit against the Maple Leafs. The Red Wings started the game with numerous forwards, including Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, due to injuries and lost defenceman Jonathan Ericsson because of a broken finger. "We get somebody hurt every day and they never come back," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "I guess hes out for a bit. I dont really know. A hand specialist is looking at him." NOTES: The Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings in their previous meeting, a 3-2 shootout on New Years Day in the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium, after losing the first matchup this season 5-4 in a shootout at home. ... Abdelkader is expected to be out for two weeks. ... Toronto, which closed its road trip 2-3, hosts Tampa Bay on Wednesday. ... Detroits next game is Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Dennis Smith .C. -- Colorado goaltender Dillon Ward made 41 saves and John Grant Jr. Rahim Moore . - The way Mark Teixeira looks at it, getting booed on the road is a badge of honour.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Mark Sanchez understands all the hoopla surrounding Tim Tebow. None of it worries the New York Jets quarterback. Hours after the Jets introduced Tebow at a huge news conference at the teams headquarters, Sanchez spoke for the first time since New York acquired the popular backup quarterback from Denver last Wednesday. "Were adding another player and were not replacing anybody," Sanchez said during a conference call from California. "I mean, hes here to help us and Im confident in my abilities. I know the team feels the same way about me. They have belief in me. ... Im not worried about losing my spot." Sanchez didnt watch Tebows big intro to the Big Apple. Instead, he said, he was working out and throwing. "I heard he did a pretty good job," Sanchez said. "How did he do?" Well, Tebow handled himself with the poise and confidence of a guy familiar with the spotlight. The Jets have repeatedly said Sanchez is the No. 1 quarterback, while Tebow will serve as the backup and see plenty of playing time in various roles. Sanchez, who recently signed a three-year contract extension, doesnt think it will be a distraction to have the popular quarterback on the team. He also brushed off the speculation that fans could call for Tebow as soon as he struggles. "That stuff happens whether youre Tim Tebow or not," Sanchez said. "They call for the backup any time youre not playing to your potential, so thaats just part of the job if youre not playing well. Aqib Talib. " After leading the Jets to consecutive AFC title games his first two seasons, Sanchez didnt progress as much as many expected in 2011 and finished with as many touchdown passes as turnovers: 26. His leadership skills and confidence were called into question by teammates quoted anonymously in newspaper reports. New York flirted with the idea of going after Peyton Manning until it was clear there wasnt mutual interest. Manning landed in Denver, and the Broncos traded Tebow to the Jets. It was a move the front office didnt run by Sanchez -- the face of the franchise. "You know, I find its difficult enough to play quarterback in the league," he said. "Thats out of my wheelhouse." Sanchez hosted Tebow on his recruiting trip to Southern California a few years ago, and theyve been friends since. He thinks that, plus the fact Tebow will be able to "add a new wrinkle to our offence," makes the move a "plus for us." Tebow is expected to run the Jets wildcat offence, as well as serve in other roles. Sanchez isnt high on the wildcat because it means hes usually off the field when its run, but he insists hes OK with whatever the team wants. "Thats just how Im programmed and any quarterback is programmed like that," Sanchez said. "The way I feel about the wildcat really is secondary. Our team goal is whats the most important, and thats winning." ' ' ' |
