Cammalleri’s New Detroit Memory

Michael Cammalleri has had some reasons to remember Joe Louis Arena, but Monday marked another mini-milestone in his budding career.

Cammalleri, a member of the University of Michigan team that won the Central Collegiate Hockey Assn. tournament here in 2002, scored his first goal in Joe Louis Arena as a pro, knocking in a backhand pass from Luc Robitaille 10:54 into the third period.

The goal sliced into Detroit’s 2-0 lead and helped the Kings gain a point in a 3-2 overtime loss. Cammalleri, who has seven goals in his last seven games, will take the goal, but not the end result.

“It was nice to get the point when you’re down 2-0, but we shouldn’t have been down that far,” said Cammalleri, 21.

*

Detroit played without center Steve Yzerman, one of many Red Wings who have sat out a game this season because of a groin pull.

“We were talking about that before the game.... It’s funny how some teams get certain injuries that follow them around,” left wing Brendan Shanahan said. “With the Kings it’s concussions, with Chicago it’s backs, and with us it’s groins.”