DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings had to wait a while for Columbus to make a mistake in its first playoff game.
When the Blue Jackets did, the Red Wings took full advantage.
Detroit’s Jonathan Ericsson scored the go-ahead goal with 6:39 left in the second period on a shot that Manny Malhotra redirected into his own net trying to stop the puck with his glove, the defending Stanley Cup champions scored less than a minute later and went on to beat Columbus 4-1 Thursday night.
Chris Osgood made 20 saves for the Red Wings.
Rookie Steve Mason stopped the first 21 shots he faced before giving up three goals — two of which he was helpless — in a five-shot stretch.
Game 2 of the first-round series is Saturday night in Detroit.
Despite making their first postseason appearance in the franchise’s eight seasons, Mason and the Blue Jackets looked as if they belonged on the same sheet of ice with the playoff-tested and talent-laden Red Wings for nearly two periods.
Mason turned away each of the 14 shots he faced in the first period, and Osgood had 13 saves in the scoreless first period.
Detroit’s Jiri Hudler fired up a restless crowd by scoring midway through the second period.
Undaunted, Columbus scored less than a minute later.
R.J. Umberger made it 1-all at 11:40 of the second period and it wasn’t until Malhotra made a gaffe a few minutes later that the Red Wings truly seized the momentum.
Ericsson lifted a shot from above the right circle toward the net, Malhotra stuck out his left glove while standing in front of Mason and the go-ahead goal was in the books.
Forty-eight seconds later, Nicklas Kronwall gave Detroit a two-goal lead on a shot that Mason never saw — until it was past him — because burly forward Johan Franzen was perched in front of him.
Less than 3 minutes into the third period, Franzen slipped a shot between Mason’s right skate and the post to make it 4-1. He scored after two Blue Jackets went after Henrik Zetterberg behind the net.
Mason finished with 30 saves.
Notes: Kronwall, playing in his 29th postseason game, scored for the first time in the playoffs, and Ericsson scored in his playoff debut. .. Detroit coach Mike Babcock has won an NHL-high 68 games in the playoffs since 2003, his first season with the Anaheim Ducks. … Detroit was without F Kris Draper (upper-body injury) and Columbus scratched C Andrew Murray (hamstring from the lineup) … Blue Jackets F Fredik Modin (knee) played for the first time since March 5 and F Kristian Huselius (concussion) hadn’t played since April 4. … The Red Wings (18 straight seasons) and Pistons (eight) have combined for the longest postseason streak by NHL and NBA teams from the same metropolitan area since the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks were both in the playoffs for 13 straight years from 1985-97, according to STATS LLC. … With the Pistons facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, Michigan and Ohio are the first states to have teams matched up against each other in the NBA and NHL playoffs at the same time since 2003 when the Los Angeles Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs and the Ducks were matched up with the Dallas Stars, according to STATS LLC.
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