Datsyuk Leads Red Wings Past Coyotes

Pavel Datsyuk scored with just 4:06 left in regulation Saturday night, leading the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes and giving the team a four-game winning streak.

The Red Wings wrapped up a season-high five game road trip with a 4-1 record, the lone loss coming in St. Louis for the first game of the trip.

Datsyuk’s goal broke a 2-2 tie late in the game. He raced down the right side of the ice on a two-on-one with Valtteri Filppula. Reaching the right faceoff circle in the Phoenix end, Datsyuk quickly stopped, allowing backchecking defenseman Keith Ballard to skate past him and create a screen for a shot over the shoulder of goalie Ilja Bryzgalov.

Kris Draper added an empty net goal to wrap up the game for Detroit.

Mikael Samuelsson had opened the game’s scoring with 4:48 left in the first period. After he missed a chance at an open net, the puck was sent around the boards and picked up by Nicklas Lidstrom. Lidstrom sent it down low to Jiri Hudler who moved it back across to Samuelsson for a chance that he made good on.

Two goals just 25 seconds apart in the second period put the Coyotes in front.

At 9:44, on an odd-man rush into the Detroit zone, Radim Vrbata sent the puck up top to Ed Jovanovski, who blasted a shot past netminder Chris Osgood, who was screened on the play.

Vrbata would score Phoenix’s second goal when awarded a penalty shot after Kris Draper poked him off the puck on a partial breakaway. Vrbata faked out Osgood on the chance, moving from forehand to backhand to score.

The Red Wings pulled even on their first power play of the game with 1:34 left in the second. Skating four-on-three, Lidstrom sent the puck down low to Datsyuk who sent it to the left circle for Brian Rafalski to one-time past Bryzgalov.

The goal was Detroit’s only power play goal on three chances with the extra attacker. Phoenix was held scoreless on four attempts, including a short five-on-three.

Both goalies faced 34 shots on the night, with Osgood stopping 32 chances and Bryzgalov making 31 saves.

The Red Wings now return back to Detroit, where they will face St. Louis on New Years Eve.