DETROIT, Michigan -- The Detroit Red Wings defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-1 Wednesday night, wrapping up their January schedule as the NHL heads into the All-Star break.
Darren Helm opened the game's scoring just 1:43 into the first period, picking off a pass from Mark Fraser at the New Jersey blue line and skating in all alone on Martin Brodeur, beating him over the shoulder.
Brian Rolston tied things up at 6:35 of the period, banging home the rebound of an Anton Volchenkov shot after Detroit netminder Jimmy Howard bobbled it.
Valtteri Filppula put the Red Wings back in front at 5:32 of the third period, taking a cross-ice feed from Jiri Hudler and snapping a shot past Brodeur from the left faceoff circle.
Ilya Kovalchuk appeared to tie the game late in the third but the referee ruled he had pushed Howard into the net with the puck. Replay would show this was not the case but the call on the ice stood as it was not reviewable.
Johan Franzen finished off the game's scoring with 44 seconds left in the game, snapping a shot from the high slot past Brodeur on a rush into the zone.
Neither team scored a power play goal on the night. Each team had three tries with the extra attacker, though all of Detroit's came on a double-minor and an overlapping penalty for a long five-on-three.
Howard stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced. Brodeur made 26 saves on 29 shots against.
The Red Wings are off until next Wednesday when they visit the Ottawa Senators.
Notes: Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom is the only Red Wing going to the All-Star Game. He will captain one of teams there... The Red Wings expect Pavel Datsyuk and Danny Cleary to return from injury in Ottawa. Tomas Holmstrom is expected to return shortly after.
It's the last game before the All-Star break as the Red Wings host the New Jersey Devils tonight.
The Devils are last in the league but are playing their best hockey of the season as of late, having won their last four. Martin Brodeur was one of the three stars of the week for the NHL last week.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings are coming off a lazy loss to the Chicago Blackhawks last Saturday. They held off the St. Louis Blues for a 4-3 OT win before that but earlier last week there was that 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, so the trend is that the Wings are struggling.
Pavel Datsyuk and Danny Cleary are both expected back after the All-Star break so there's a light at the end of the tunnel for Detroit; they just need to get through this one first.
Missed the Helm goal, was working when Twitter blew up about it. Really solid PK there, though.
f*ck, Jimmy! Control the goddamned rebound!
Wings got going a bit in the second half of the second period there. Gotta keep that momentum. Great chance at the end for Franzen.
Dammit, Mule, that was a huge chance there.
Just got home as there was a bad accident on the 15. I see the usual trio of bloggers is in the house!
The Doctor is in!
Boy, he's over the flu.
Fil!!!!!
Come on MD... Your boy scored... Where is your two cents?
Everyone already beat me to the catchy phrases. Plus my mind is too baffled by why the spammers only love the olympic hockey thread.
But him and Helm are doing a good job 
I am so happy Helm did not get hurt earlier!
That's more like it! Now we just need a little insurance.
Unfortunately... J.M.F blew a tire on that one.
Nothing on the long five-on-three. Dammit.
If only they'd remembered that rule back in 2007.
Yeah, Wings got lucky as hell there.
J.M.F. Franzen finally breaks through!
Wings lucked the f*ck out on that one. Absolutely lucky as hell that Kovalchuk goal wasn't allowed.
Valtteri Filppula
Credit: Clark Rasmussen
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