Game 26: Red Wings 6, Minnesota 2

Bloomington, MN (12/11/69)- Cesare Maniago should make it a point of not playing against the Red Wings anymore this season.

For the second time in a month, Maniago was driven from the net by the Red Wings on Met Center ice as Detroit pasted the Minnesota North Stars, 6-2 on Thursday night.

On November 15, the Red Wings torched the North Stars, 7-2, and Maniago didn't make it past the 11 minute mark of the third period. On Thursday, Maniago's stay was even more brief: he was replaced by Fern Rivard at the 2:21 mark of the second period.

The Red Wings had just taken a 4-0 lead on a goal by Garry Unger when Maniago got the hook.

"He's a good netminder," Red Wings coach Sid Abel said of the North Stars goalie. "We just caught him on a couple of bad nights, is all."

Red-hot Frank Mahovlich scored two goals, giving him 18 for the season. Alex Delvecchio, Wayne Connelly, Billy Dea and Unger also scored for Detroit (13-5-8), which has lost just once in 14 games (7-1-6).

Danny Grant's slap shot made it 4-2 at 4:00 of the third period, and the Minnesota crowd finally came to life. Then Detroit's Carl Brewer was whistled for a penalty three minutes later. But the Red Wings killed the penalty and also the momentum.

"That was a big kill," Abel said. "The building was getting loud."

Dea restored order with a wrist shot past Rivard at 13:59, and Connelly finished the scoring on a 2-on-1 at 15:36.

As for Maniago, he finished this game as he did the one on November 15---at the end of the North Stars' bench.

DET 3-1-2 = 6
MIN 0-0-2 = 2

1st Period
DET- Mahovlich (Howe, Delvecchio) PPG 5:26
DET- Delvecchio (Mahovlich, Popiel) 12:58
DET- Mahovlich (Delvecchio, Howe) 13:44

2nd Period
DET- Unger (Libett, Connelly) 2:21
MIN- Goldsworthy (Grant) 8:22

3rd Period
MIN- Grant (Goldsworthy, Polanic) 4:00
DET- Dea (Brewer) 13:59
DET- Connelly (Popiel, Libett) 15:36

Shots on Goal
DET 8-11-12 = 31
MIN 8-15-14 = 37

Goalies
Edwards (DET); Maniago, Rivard* (MIN) *2:21 2nd Period

Power Plays
DET 1-for-3; MIN 0-for-5

Penalty Minutes
DET 10; MIN 6

Fights
None