For openers, a new twist - victory

For openers, the Detroit Red Wings completed a franchise first. They won their first game in a new rink. Martin Frk collected his first NHL goal and point, Anthony Mantha netted a goal and an assist and defenseman Mike Green dished out a career-high four assists as the Wings doubled the Minnesota Wild 4-2 on Thursday in the first regular-season game ever played at Little Caesars Arena. “It was an event,… Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “We know it. I think you soak those types of things in. But we’ve got to make sure we’re concentrating on the task at hand.… That didn’t seem to be the case when the Wings squandered a 2-0 lead in a 48-second span less than three minutes into the third period, but then the Wings displayed a quality seldom seen last season as they missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1989-90 season - resiliency. Captain Henrik Zetterberg collected a loose puck between the hash marks and whipped a shot home for the game winner. Then Frk one-timed a drive into the net for his first NHL goal. “Obviously, we’re up 2-0 and they come back to make it 2-2, so it’s a big win given that, too,… Blashill said. “I thought we showed great confidence in staying with it and that’s a lot to do with Hank.… It’s the fourth time the franchise has opened a new arena but the first time they’ve opened one with a victory. They lost 3-2 to the St. Louis Blues when Joe Louis Arena opened on Dec. 27, 1979, fell 2-1 to the Ottawa Senators when Olympia Stadium opened Nov. 22, 1927, and were beaten 2-0 by the Boston Bruins on Nov. 18, 1926, when they opened their first NHL season playing at Border Cities Arena in Windsor, Ontario. “It was great, it was awesome, to be honest,… Green said. “The energy was great. Obviously with the new building it’s just completely different than any other rink. “It’s got its own identity and it’s fun to play in.… Milestone Men Green’s four assists weren’t his only career achievement on the the night. They pushed him past the 300-assist plateau for his NHL career. Goalie Jimmy Howard posted the 200th victory of his NHL career. The Power Play Scored . . . Twice! Twenty-seventh in the NHL last season at 15.1 percent, the Wings talked about the need to improve their power play from the first day of training camp. On opening night, they went two-for-five, scoring twice in a 23-second span in the second period. “That’s what we talked about the whole time, we have to be better on the power play,… Frk said. “Put the pucks on the net and we did that tonight. We got two in like 30 seconds. “It definitely gives the guys who are going on the power play big confidence. It helps the team to win the game.… He Likes It NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was among the 19,515 in attendance at the Little Caesars Arena opener, and was let suitably impressed. “I just love this arena,… Bettman said. “It is incredible. We just spent the last two hours walking every inch of it. I sat in the very last row to see what the view is and every seat in the house is great. “This arena, in addition to be state to the art, has every conceivable amenity, incredible use of technology and a remarkable tie to history and tradition and this great Original Six franchise.… Wings fans can also expect an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL entry draft to be coming to town, although not right away. “It’s coming,… Bettman promised. “It’s a question of timing. To me, what I think will be the only factor – they would take an All-Star Game next year – I’d like to see the District (Detroit) finished, so that when you bring guests in from all over the world, they can see what the entire vision was and how it’s played out. “So, whether that’s two, three or four years, when all the construction is done, we will be here with league events, I have no doubt about that.… Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer