A few thoughts from the Red Wings' 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay tonight ...

-- Tampa Bay doesn't have much.
-- Igor Grigorenko was the best offensive forward in the game. His skating isn't his strength, but it's not a negative by any means. Tonight, he was the one guy who slowed the game down. In the first period, he created a lot, but looked for the pass even when he was in the slot with the puck. After one power play, Coach Mike Stothers hollered on the bench "Not one f-ing shot on the power play. Grigger, shoot the puck." Grigger shot the puck in the second and third periods. He anticipates well. He plays down low, but prefers the perimeter. Although he had three assists, Grigorenko was key on just McGrath's goal, getting the puck to him in front. (Jonathan Ericsson carried end-to-end on one of Grigorenko's assists and on Jan Mursak's goal, Grigorenko's pass was two zones and a dump-in away from the puck going in.)
-- Evan McGrath had a great game. His faceoffs improved over the first game. He worked hard in front of the net. (His goal came with him working just outside the crease.) McGrath set Grigorenko up for a one-timer that took a very good save to stop.
-- Johan Ryno was again much more noticeable than Mattias Ritola. Ryno had an excellent penalty-kill in the second period where he blocked two shots from the point then dove to clear the zone. He does this funky thing while blocking shots ... standing upright and lifting one leg to kind of kick the puck like a soccer player. That's how he got his first block and I've never seen it done like that before. When Ryno cleared the zone, Coach Stothers yelled, "That's a big-time play boys." On the other side, Ryno created some offense, but once again didn't finish. He had a a wide-open back-door slam with the score 3-1 late in the second that he flipped over the open goal.
-- Josh Aspenlind, playing on right wing with McGrath and Grigorenko, had several big hits. He didn't work the puck well, but his physical play meshed well with his linemates.
-- Odd game for momentum. Tampa Bay outshot Detroit 12-4 in the first 25 minutes. Over the next 15 minutes, however, Detroit outshot the Lightning, 14-2. When Mursak scored the winning goal, Detroit was behind on shots, 13-5.
-- Jakub Kindl is playing a very strong defensive game. Ericsson has been more noticeable, but Kindl has played very well positionally.
-- Mursak's goal came on a dump-in that he beat the defenseman into the corner. Mursak sent a quick blind pass into the slot for Darren Helm and the puck caromed in off a defender.