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Toronto's Tyler Boazk scores the shootout winner against the Red Wings' Jimmy Howard.

( Patrick Record | The Ann Arbor News)

ANN ARBOR – Tomas Tatar isn’t the only Detroit Red Wing who’s had trouble in the shootout this season. But the rookie forward was highly critical of himself for losing the puck on his shootout attempt against Jonathan Bernier.

“I wasn’t good, I admit it, I disappointed the fans,” Tatar said. “I could have been the hero and the fans deserve better.”

Tatar took his team's third shot. Tyler Bozak scored on the next shot to seal the Toronto Maple Leafs' 3-2 victory in the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium.

In retrospect, Tatar said he shouldn’t have tried to make a move in those harsh conditions; he should have shot the puck.

“The puck just started bouncing as soon as I started,” Tatar said. “I kind of lost it on the way there and then I lost it in front of the net.

“I was really mad. Maybe I should have tried something simpler instead of trying to stick-handle. The puck was really, really frozen, the same as my stick, so it was just bouncing everywhere. Maybe I should have gone down and shot it, but that’s not my style. I like to stick-handle a bit.”

Tatar said it’s tough to change your mind when you decide your course of action before the attempt.

“It seems like the shots were working,” Tatar said. “Maybe we should have changed to that. But you work on this in practice and that was my mindset and it didn’t work out.”

The Red Wings are 1-7 in shootouts this season. They have lost 12 of their past 13 shootouts dating back to last season.

Time runs out on Zetterberg in overtime

To prevent one team from skating against the wind for the entire five-minute overtime period, the clubs switched sides at the 2:30 mark.

The horn sounded just as Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg was bursting into the offensive zone on a potential breakaway.

“I think I would have had a clear breakaway," Zetterberg said. "I knew it before that we didn’t have much time, but when I came (into the zone) I had no idea and the buzzer went.

"Nothing you can do about it. We knew the rules.”

Said forward Justin Abdelkader: “We knew there was going to be a whistle at 2:30. It’s unfortunate. It was only fair for both teams to get the wind.”

Eaves to be re-evaluated Thursday

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said the club would know more about the condition of forward Patrick Eaves on Thursday.

"Appears nothing broken but needs a day to see how he feels," Holland said.

Eaves was cross-checked in the neck area by Joffrey Lupul at 11:04 of the first period. Eaves collapsed to the ice, where he remained for a couple of minutes before helped helped off. He did not return.

Lupul received a minor penalty for cross-checking. He might face further disciplinary action by the NHL.

Notable, quotable

Todd Bertuzzi, on players talking in their surroundings during stoppages in play: "I think everyone did. While you're in that moment you got to take a step back and take a look where you're at and what's going on in front of you. It was pretty spectacular."

Bertuzzi, on the biggest challenge of the day: "The snow; it was tough to handle the puck. The (Pavel) Datsyuks are the ones that can handle the puck. The rest of us are just trying to push it up there, try to get our chances with shots."

Niklas Kronwall, comparing this game to the 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field: "I thought it was better, absolutely. Just the setting, the stands going all the way around. Today, you really got a sense that there were a lot of fans and it was very loud out there. A great experience."

Bozak, on his shootout winner: "I wasn't too sure exactly what I was going to do. I came in on the same angle that I usually do, one that I've been having success with. I actually made a last-second decision to shoot five-hole, because Jimmy Howard) seemed to be out a long way. It looked like I surprised him (by shooting low blocker-side)."

Zetterberg, on the conditions: "The ice was actually better than a lot of arenas we play in normally."