Red Wings’ old-fashioned know-how beats Penguins

FROM DETROIT —  Putting two exceptionally skillful teams on the ice to open the Stanley Cup finals produced a pair of goals made possible by odd bounces off the end boards and a survival-mode triumph by the Detroit Red Wings that was as impressive as any they’ve recorded this season.

Depleted by injuries and only three days removed from winning the Western Conference title, the Red Wings on Saturday withstood the young Pittsburgh Penguins’ energetic middle period by using their brains as much as their brawn.

Detroit’s 3-1 victory wasn’t built on dazzling, end-to-end rushes or textbook passes.

It sprang from smarts and the details that made the Red Wings champions last season -- and could bring them another title if their legs hold up as well under a grueling schedule as their hockey sense held up against a Penguins team no longer in awe of playing on the NHL’s biggest stage.

The teams will meet again tonight, a schedule Commissioner Gary Bettman said was conceived a year ago to “build an intense start” to the Finals and wasn’t a consequence of the league kowtowing to NBC. If you believe that, he has a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you, not just a bankrupt hockey team in Phoenix.

The turnaround will be short, but it probably won’t lead to a turnaround in style.

“I think this time of year there’s not going to be a ton of great goals scored,” Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik said. “Everyone’s really concentrated on defense and it’s something we were well aware of.”

Brad Stuart scored Detroit’s first goal, at 13:38 of the first period, on a calculated shot off the end boards that skidded in front and caromed off goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

After Stuart’s giveaway set up Pittsburgh’s tying goal, at 18:37 of the first period, the Red Wings benefited from another bounce when Brian Rafalski’s shot ended up in front. Johan Franzen, who flanks Henrik Zetterberg on a checking line that has been remarkably productive, took a shot that glanced off Fleury and into the net for a 2-1 lead at 19:02 of the second.

And fourth-liner Justin Abdelkader, a Michigan native, capped the scoring at 2:46 of the third when he gloved down the rebound of his own shot after it popped in the air and dropped it at his feet before flicking it home.

Nothing spectacular, just smart -- and the perfect game plan for them without injured centers Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper.

“The last two games we were missing guys and we learned you’ve got to step up,” said Darren Helm, whose 11-4 faceoff record boosted Detroit’s 39-16 record in that area.

“Guys are responding well. Abbie’s goal was a huge goal. That line has been playing well. For him to get a big goal for us is big for the club.”

It was especially crucial for the Red Wings because they’re the older of the two combatants. According to the NHL, among players who had appeared in at least one playoff game in 2009 before Saturday, the Red Wings’ average age was 33.4, compared with the Penguins’ 29.0.

Depth will matter for Detroit if Saturday’s exertions take a toll on their stamina today.

“We had the quick turnaround and everybody’s talking that we might be tired, but we played well in the first period,” Stuart said.

“The second period, we turned it over a little too much, but I thought we came out pretty good. Except for my mistake toward the end of the first, I thought we would have come out with the lead.”

When they took the lead, they protected it well. “They played from ahead for a lot of the night,” Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma said, “and that’s a tough team to come back on.”

The Penguins insisted that if Malkin had converted his breakaway just over three minutes into the second period instead of shooting the puck off Chris Osgood’s left arm, their fate might have been different.

“Last year we were caught off guard. I think we played well enough to win here tonight,” Orpik said. “They got some lucky bounces. . . . There are a lot of positives to take. Everyone here is pretty excited.”

That excitement was tempered by realism for Ruslan Fedotenko, who converted an Evgeni Malkin rebound for Pittsburgh’s lone goal.

“They have a couple of bounces, but still they played well,” Fedotenko said. “They scored the third goal and it seems like they played very well defensively. So give them the credit too.”

The Red Wings deserved that accolade, and more.

Before the game, in his annual state-of-the-NHL address, Bettman said the league has fared well in tough economic times, adding sponsors and increasing revenue.

He guessed the salary cap will be flat or down about 5% next season from its current $56.7-million level. “We think we had a very strong, solid season in all metrics that we measure,” Bettman said.

And in every metric, the Red Wings were strong and solid Saturday. Razzle-dazzle isn’t the only way to take care of business.

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helene.elliott@latimes.com