Wings impressive in opening victory

By Tom Hoffman

The last time Dave Huntley was behind the Wings bench it was 1987 and the Wings were on the losing end of an 11-8 score against the New Jersey Saints. Tonight was much better for Huntley as the Wings got five goals from Athan Iannucci and four each from veteran Jake Bergey and rookie Merrick Thomson as they hammered the Chicago Shamrox 19-11. A Wachovia Center crowd of 11,974 saw the Wings win their first home opener since 2003.

Both teams looked sluggish at the start and it took 9:32 for the Wings to score their first goal of the 2008 season when Jason Crosbie found the back of the net. The Wings would end the first period up 3-0 but Chicago scored the first three goals of the seond quarter to tie the game at three. Bergey started a four goal run for the Wings that was stopped by Chicago's Mat Giles to take the game into halftime 7-4 Philly.

The teams each scored three goals in the third before the Wings offense exploded in the fourth, outscoring the Shamrox 9-4 and chasing starter Brandon Miller for the second time in the evening. Rob Blasdell made 38 saves for the Wings in the Wings effort while Geoff Snider and Pete Jacobs dominated the faceoff circle winning 28 of 34 faceoffs, Jacobs going 10 for 11.

The Wings will get a big, early test this Friday when the defending champion Rochester Knighthwaks invade Philly. Tonight's game is one the Wings should be able to build upon as they prepare for the high flying K-Hawks.