Red Wings and Maple Leafs scoreless after 1st

DETROIT, Mich. - Detroit and Toronto hold the 4th and 2nd best scoring offenses respectively in hockey, but both finished the opening period with no score after twenty minutes at Joe Louis Arena Wednesday night.

James van Riemsdyk struck the back of Detroit's net as time expired off a quick pass from Tyler Bozak, but officials immediately ruled the goal came after the bell.

Both sides played 4-on-4 hockey with three minutes remaining after Toronto's Dion Phaneuf sat for interfering with Tomas Jurco, and Detroit's Tomas Tatar slashed Daniel Winnik when the latter had a sudden shorthanded scoring chance for the Leafs. 

Phil Kessel finished the period with one shot on goal in nine shifts for Toronto, who come in to the game winners of 6 of their last 8 games. Kessel's 28 points lead the Leafs.

Jimmy Howard had an easy time in net for the Red Wings during the opening session, including an eleven-minute stretch during which he did not face a single shot against him. He saved all 7 shots he faced from the visitors.

Howard has won four of his last five meeting with Toronto.

James Reimer stopped 12-of-12 in net for Toronto (15-9-3) in relief of Jonathan Bernier, who stopped 32 shots in victory against Calgary Tuesday night. He faced a Red Wings shooting flurry near the 12 minute mark when the hosts outshot Toronto 6-0 over two minutes.

Detroit's Riley Sheahan and Niklas Kronwall tried Reimer in succession early on, both going high at the 15 minute mark.

Drew Miller ventured a wrist shot from close range minutes later after a turnover in the Leafs zone, but went high on Reimer. Darren Helm brought the puck up ice himself a minute later, firing wide on Reimer from the right circle.

Pavel Datsyuk had a sudden 1-on-1 chance against Reimer after taking a pass from Kronwall deep in the Toronto zone, but his wrister went high and wide of the Leafs net. Datsyuk has seven goals and 4 assists in his last six appearances for Detroit (17-6-5) after missing eleven games with a groin injury.

The contest is the first of a home-and-home series, the second of which is to be played Dec. 13th in Toronto.