DETROIT, Michigan -- The Detroit Red Wings bounced back from a 4-3 deficit late in the third period Wednesday night, scoring with 3:54 remaining to force overtime and adding another in the extra period for a 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Nicklas Lidstrom evened the game up on a Detroit power play, putting home the rebound of a Henrik Zetterberg shot into an open net from the left faceoff circle.
Zetterberg then gave the Red Wings the win, snapping a shot past Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo from the left faceoff dot with 2:01 left in the overtime period.
Danny Cleary had opened the game's scoring at 8:12 of the first. Brian Rafalski sent a long pass from the Detroit zone to Todd Bertuzzi at the Vancouver blue line. Bertuzzi gained the zone and moved the puck across to Cleary, who fired it past Luongo from high in the right circle.
A power play goal by Henrik Sedin tied the game back up just 1:11 into the second. Ryan Kesler got the puck from Daniel Sedin in front of Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard and passed it off to Henrik at the edge of the crease for a tap into the open net.
Valtteri Filppula restored the Red Wings' lead at 6:29 of the period, swatting the rebound of a Cleary chance past Luongo.
Daniel Sedin tied the game back up with 8:39 left in the second, scoring a power play goal that was nearly a carbon-copy of his brother's.
Former Red Wing Mikael Samuelsson gave the Canucks their first lead with 21 seconds left in the second. Brad Stuart couldn't hold the puck in the Vancouver end and the Canucks broke out on a three-on-two. After gaining the Detroit zone, Henrik Sedin dropped it to Samuelsson for a snap shot from the top of the left circle that deflected off of Stuart's stick and past Howard.
Zetterberg's first of the night evened things back up. At 1:54 of the first he snuck a low-angle shot between the post and Luongo's pad to make it 3-3.
Jeff Tambellini beat Howard with 7:50 remaining to put the Canucks back out in front before Detroit's comeback.
The Canucks finished the night two-for-three on the power play. The Red Wings went one-for-four.
Howard stopped 35 of 39 shots on the night while Luongo made 40 saves on 45 shots.
The Red Wings are back in action Thursday night when the visit the St. Louis Blues.
Notes: The Red Wings lost forward Pavel Datsyuk to a wrist injury late in the first period. He did not return... Ruslan Salei's assist on Zetterberg's first goal was his 200th career point.
Oh, yeah, it's Wednesday.
Detroit hosts the Canucks tonight. Vancouver is on a hot streak and the Wings are losing games all over the place. Both sides are calling it a measuring stick game.
Sounds to me like a loss in the making. Probably followed by one in St. Louis tomorrow. But I'm exhausted and cold and it's got me in a bad mood, so maybe it'll be better than I expect.
Jimmy Howard gets the start. Kris Draper is out in favor of Jiri Hudler. Brad Stuart skipped practice yesterday but will play tonight.
TV is FS+, FSD probably has the Pistons or something.
Must be nice... I'm stuck with TSN
Ken Daniels just called Wings tickets a good stocking stuffer. Christ, that's an expensive item for a stocking.
Jimmy with a Hasek-like play, he still puts it right on a Canucks' stick.
Fantastic play all around. Brilliant outlet pass. Smart crossing pass. Excellent shot.
Raffi just made up for his blown pass during the last game!
Wings are buzzing... Could be a good sign 
Wings best period in the last few games? They had a few chances, really strong D except for a couple good shifts for Vancouver, Jimmy mostly looks good.
One goal lead is worrisome. Canucks are too dangerous.
Well f*ck. Now Pavs is out. I'd just like to remind everyone that Samuelsson's stick was in Datsyuk's skates when he went down and there wasn't a call.
Horsesh*t call, of course they scored on it.
Absolute evener. Better f*cking score.
Kronwall leading the rush. Looks good but the thought is terrifying.
Dr. Fil !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is why you shoot, Fil!
That is why you shoot, Fil!
Exactly! He needs to do a lot more of it! And can Hudler produce something? I am beginning to wonder why we wasted a roster spot.
I am beginning to wonder why we wasted a roster spot.
Because right now Kris Draper is even more of a waste?
I am beginning to wonder why we wasted a roster spot.
Because right now Kris Draper is even more of a waste?
At least he has more grit and can put out a blue collar game, Huds gets tossed around the ice.
Wings now say Pavs is out for the night. No surprise there and no word on how bad it is.
Why in the f*ck is Fil getting called for that but then Kesler runs over Howard (not on the play they scored on) and it's nothing?
This game is p*ssing me off.
Jesus mother f*cking christ, Stuie. Mickey says that was about a left handed defenseman being in the wrong spot but it just looked lazy to me.
Fantastic stop by Jimmy early in the third. Wings on their heels.
Zata! That never should have gotten through, awful goal for Luongo to give up.
Hey! Z scored!
So what's the story on Pasha?
Helm is trying to make like that 4 on his sweater is a 1.
So what's the story on Pasha?
No new news. "Upper body injury."
"O Fortuna" with ten damn minutes left? Come on, T.
Hell of a shot. Jimmy might have been able to get it, not sure.
If it weren't for the fact that there's only six minutes left, I'd say Eaves was gonna get a goal tonight.
Power play. Here's the chance the Wings need.
There we f*cking go!
Abdelkader out there for the last 30 seconds. That's some trust from Babs right there, even if he should have gotten a penalty.
Zata! Wings win!
Zata! Wings win!
yessssssss!!!!
And after saying that, did I just hear Datsyuk out for four weeks? Motherf*ck...
11 of next 16 games are on the road, 4 back to back games in which 3 of the second night games are on the road (van, stl, col). I say wings can pick up 8 wins of the next 16 games which includes devils/islanders @ wings. Likely losses @ vancouver, colorado, st louis, pittsburgh, dallas and @ the joe vs. Philly. Glad wings picked up the win tonight at least. I'll take .500 record in the next 16 games all things considered. Datsyuk will hopefully be back after those 16 games so the wings can start rolling again..
8 Wins maximum in next 16.
11 of next 16 games are on the road, 4 back to back games in which 3 of the second night games are on the road (van, stl, col). I say wings can pick up 8 wins of the next 16 games which includes devils/islanders @ wings. Likely losses @ vancouver, colorado, st louis, pittsburgh, dallas and @ the joe vs. Philly. Glad wings picked up the win tonight at least. I'll take .500 record in the next 16 games all things considered. Datsyuk will hopefully be back after those 16 games so the wings can start rolling again..
8 Wins maximum in next 16.
I think we will do better than five hundred because we are deep with prospects. If the team can come together and divide up the duties we should be able to overcome. I'm not saying Dats isn't a loss because he is, I just think we will do better than five hundred and it should force people to step up.
Prospects are an interesting thing to bring up. Will we see Tomas Tatar or Ilari Filppula called up at any point just because the Wings can? It'd put someone back in the press box again.
Who cares? The word on the street is Tatar is quite the player and he is chomping at the bit to get in the NHL. It would be better than watching Hudler or Draper at this point.
Henrik Zetterberg
Credit: Clark Rasmussen
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