DETROIT, Michigan -- The Detroit Red Wings scored all of their goals in the first 30 minutes Wednesday against Minnesota, holding off the Wild for the last 30 minutes of play to pick up a 3-1 win.
After Detroit finished scoring, Minnesota outshot the Red Wings but couldn't get the puck in the net enough to even things up.
Kirk Maltby got Detroit on the board just 16 seconds into the game. Johan Franzen threw the puck on net from the right circle and Maltby tipped it into the pads of goaltender Niklas Backstrom. The rebound deflected off the leg of defender Keith Carney and back past Backstrom to put Detroit up, 1-0.
Henrik Zetterberg extended the lead at 4:03 of the second, getting a pass from behind the net and kicking it from his skate to his stick before wristing a shot over Backstrom's blocker.
Franzen added a goal of his own 2:44 later, putting the puck past Backstrom from an acute angle in the left circle.
After that, the Red Wings were content to sit back and hold on to their lead.
Pavol Demitra scored Minnesota's lone goal with 2:46 remaining, putting in the second rebound off a series of Wild chances that left Detroit netminder Dominik Hasek lying on the ice.
Despite outshooting Detroit 10-5 in the final frame, Minnesota couldn't get another goal.
Hasek finished the night with 32 saves on 33 shots, while Backstrom stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced.
Neither team scored on the power play. Detroit had six chances with the extra skater and Minnesota had three.
The Red Wings will be back in action on Thursday night when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets. As it will be the second game in as many nights, Chris Osgood will be expected to start in goal for Detroit.
Notes: Danny Markov made his return from injury, playing 18:05. To make room for Markov, Andreas Lilja was a healthy scratch... Robert Lang played only 6:05 before leaving the game with the flu during the first intermission... Mikael Samuelsson did not return from a groin injury as had been previously expected, Josh Langfeld was called up from Grand Rapids to take his place in the lineup.
Not much to say about this one except, hopefully the refs will be consistant and we pick up six points! And someone at the scheduling committee needs to slapped!
It is actually a home and home and home series... they play the again on the 27th.
With the Christmas break in the middle, that is one way to look at it.
I prefer the home-and-home-and-home label just 'cause it sounds cool. 
And there have been home-and-home series' before with a few day gap in the middle that still went by that name, anyway, so if the gap doesn't matter there then it doesn't need to here.
Well, whatever as long as we come out on top and overtake Nashville I don't care what it's called
45 minutes till the puck drops, looks like I will get to see Ken and Mickey tonight
Heh, I love it when Mickey gets confused by the refs. Makes me feel better.
Belatedly... Great goal by Cleary, smart pass by Franzen, absolutely stupid move by Fernandez.
Big PK after a series of awful calls. Game's gotten a bit messy.
I hear you about the series of bad calls, what was up with the one on Lilja when the Wild player dropped his stick into the Wings bench? That was stupid. Glad we came out on top even though it SHOULD have been a shutout, let's see how good Ozzie looks tonight!
1st period is underway, Ozzie you are the man!
I know everyones feelings about nhl.com but here is the link to the frozen moment. Pretty cool pic
Puck is bouncing a lot around the Detroit crease, Ozzie needs to keep things settled down and the Wings' D needs to limit Minnesota's chances.
Way to drive the net!
Ozzie's looking pretty solid
"Give that man a black mask." No kidding, Mickey, Fernandez just came up huge on Homer.
Unrelated to just about anything... Minnesota's third jerseys might just be the best in the league. It's great that they'll be making them their home jerseys next year when third jerseys are eliminated.
You think so? I think they are ugly as hell! The best third jersey is the one from Vancouver, the best Minnesota jersey is the home North Stars jersey that I happen to be wearing right now. In honor of the DFHL of course !
While I like the Vancouver one, it's dated in a bad way. Looks like it's from the '70s (because it is). Minnesota's looks "vintage" without being dated.
The All-Star jerseys from Minnesota were great, too. That's what I've got on right now.
Not that one, the one they had last year that was black, red, and dark blue!
Oh man, the one with the gradient? Awful!
It's better than the Nashville one
Agreed on the Nashville third.
Bad break on Minnesota's goal but great to see Homer's slump end. The team goal-scoring streak is still alive and, even if it's been a "sleepy" game so far, should be an exciting end.
Ugh, bad, bad break on the second Minnesota goal. Kronwall needed to do a better job on Parrish, it's not like the refs are calling anything at this point anyway.
Dammit! Datsyuk tries to deke around the same guy fifty f*cking times and gives up the puck. Way to go, Pavs!
What a bad break in OT, Ozzie was having a good game too *sigh*. We walked away with a point and we we get them back at the Joe, just like we did the Jackets!
Ok boys the puck drops in an hour, let's drive that net and walk away with two pioints!
Jumped out strong, had control for most of the first two periods but the Wings were really on their heels at the end of the second. Need to make sure they don't slack off, don't give the Wild a chance to get back in it.
Kind of boring uneventful game, a few good hits and some awesome moves by Flippula and Datsyuk. Other than that glad we won however, it should have been a shutout!
Just as easily, it could be in OT right now. Wings got some good bounces tonight. Not all of them, but enough.
That was a soft goal allowed by Hasek
Agreed, but Lebda should have been there to clear the puck away.
I agree, the defence was at fault as well
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