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MacLean Helps Wings Clinch President's Trophy
John Mullin4/11/2006
Over the past six months, players and coaches in the American Hockey League have found out just how dangerous Grand Rapids forward Donald MacLean can be – his 56 goals lead the AHL, and he is fourth in the league in points. Filling in for an ailing Robert Lang Tuesday night, MacLean got to show his stuff on the National Hockey League stage, scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-0 Detroit victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

Detroit defenseman Nicklas Kronwall helped MacLean break the seal on the scoring at the 9:46 mark of the opening frame as he jostled for position in front of the Edmonton net. Kronwall created his own opportunity by stealing a loose puck and tapping a quick pass across the crease to an open MacLean, who punched the puck home for his first goal in a Red Wing uniform.

After scoreless play in the second period, Kris Draper added insurance just 0:19 into the third period as a bad bounce plagued the playoff-desperate Oilers in front of their bench, leading to a 2-on-1. From there, Draper made no mistake, capitalizing on the blocker side of Roloson.

MacLean’s goal, his seventh career NHL marker, would stand up as the game winner as Manny Legace (35-8) backstopped the Red Wings with his 7th shutout of the season. He blanked the Oilers on 29 shots, including spectacular saves in the second period with the Red Wings only up by one. Dwayne Roloson (13-24) stopped 25 shots in the losing effort for Edmonton

The victory Tuesday clinches the President’s Trophy for Detroit, the award given to the team with the best record in the National Hockey League. This season marks the fifth time that the Red Wings have won the award since its inception in 1985. Detroit also clinched home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the overall no. 1 seed.

Detroit (55-15-8) has only four games remaining on their regular season schedule: trips to Chicago on Thursday and St. Louis on Saturday before returning home to face the Dallas Stars on Monday night. The Red Wings will close out the 2005-06 campaign with a game at Nashville on April 18.