Playoff hockey is finally underway, and the Detroit Red Wings trail 1-0 after one period to the Nashville Predators in the opening game of the NHL playoffs' first round.
The two least penalized teams in the league during the year, the Wings and Predators, combined for a mind-blowing six penalties in the first period, in a game that rarely saw the two teams play at even strength. Defensively, the Wings have been quite suspect through 20 minutes, and a handful of errors on the back end have directly translated to Nashville scoring opportunities.
The Predators broke the scoring open on a Paul Gaustad shot that deflected off Detroit defender Brad Stuart's skate at the 6:59 mark. From then on, however, the story was Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard, who finished the period with 12 saves, with many of them coming in key situations. Howard's play in net has been able to keep the Wings in the game, but the continuous sound of whistles has hindered Detroit's ability to get anything going offensively.
For more on the Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. For more on the Predators, head to On The Forecheck. And for full coverage of the 2012 NHL Playoffs, be sure to check out SB Nation's NHL hub.