(Photo by Stefan Kubus/MiHockey)

Red Wings top Preds at Joe Louis Arena to win third straight

(Photo by Stefan Kubus/MiHockey)
(Photo by Stefan Kubus/MiHockey)

 

By @StefanKubus –

DETROIT – After an 0-2 start, the Red Wings have climbed back to win three straight.

Detroit topped the visiting Nashville Predators Friday night, 5-3. Justin Abdelkader, Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist each scored their first of the season, while Drew Miller notched his second and Darren Helm potted his fourth. The Wings peppered Preds netminder Pekka Rinne with 42 shots on goal. Petr Mrazek, meanwhile, stopped 30 of the 33 he faced.

Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill said, despite the three-game win streak, he’s still keeping the focus simple.

“I’m just worried about one game at a time, and I’m worried about getting better every day, and I thought we took a step at getting better today,” Blashill said. “I thought we did a real good job of spending time in their end, we did a real good job of winning puck battles, we did a real good job of reloading hard and getting back above people. When we do that, we’re a real good team. I thought we took a step forward. Now we’ve gotta take another step forward tomorrow.”

Abdelkader opened the scoring in the middle frame after a scoreless first, as a Ryan Sproul point shot hit him in front and trickled past Rinne. Sproul made his season debut Friday night, playing just his second career game, and recorded his first NHL point with the assist.

“I think it’s just getting pucks through,” Sproul said of the key to contributing from the back end. “Tonight, it’s the same thing with Abby there. It’s a shot and he’s in front and he does a great job. It either tips off him or he screens the goalie and it goes in. That’s the way goals go in these days.”

A costly 5-on-3 turned the tide and saw the Preds’ quickly take a 2-1 lead on goals from PK Subban and then just 18 seconds later from Mike Ribiero.

But in the final minute, Miller sent both teams to the dressing room the way they came out for the period: all even. The former Spartan turned and fired a rebounding puck off the end boards and picked the far corner to knot the game at two. His line with Luke Glendening and Steve Ott – who slotted into the lineup Friday night – proved to be effective all night.

“I thought we had some good energy in on the forecheck, getting some chances and playing the role that we needed to play, so overall I was happy with it,” Miller said of his line.

Tatar gave Detroit an early third-period lead, as he struck just 1:10 into the frame with his first of the season. Tatar entered the Nashville zone, made a nifty move around a defender and beat Rinne with a quick wrister.

Minutes later, Dylan Larkin dropped the gloves with Yannick Weber for the first fighting major of his career – and more than held his own, too.

“I mean, he wasn’t fighting a Chara, but good for him,” Tatar said of Larkin with a laugh. “It’s off his back and I think he did pretty well. We were all impressed at the bench for sure and proud of him.”

“I was wondering if he was trying out for a Bruise Brothers spot here,” Blashill joked. “We talk about sticking up for each other, but you’ve got to stick up for yourself sometimes. And for two years, he’s taken lots of abuse, so I thought he did a good job. Good for him.”

Nyquist then gave the Wings a 4-2 advantage at 11:27. Helm forced Preds forward Filip Forsberg to turn the puck over on the forecheck just inside the Nashville blue line. Nyquist then jumped on the loose puck and fired one low past Rinne.

Despite having a full 5-on-3 advantage late in the game, the Predators pushed and kept Detroit hemmed in their own zone for most of it. But with Rinne pulled, Helm was able to find the empty net off a pass from Luke Glendening.

The Wings turn around and welcome the San Jose Sharks Saturday night to continue their three-game homestand.