Datsyuk Leads Wings Over Caps

Pavel Datsyuk scored twice and added two assists, leading the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Datsyuk now has an NHL-leading 37 points on the season, with his 17 goals third-best in the league.

The Capitals started the game’s scoring when Jaromir Jagr powered his way around Datsyuk in the left faceoff circle and cut to his backhand near the top of the crease to roof a shot over the shoulder of Detroit netminder Curtis Joseph with 6:23 remaining in the first period.

Just 18 seconds later, Datsyuk fed Kris Draper, who blasted a shot from the half-boards past Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig to tie the game back up.

Datsyuk’s second assist came 20 seconds past the game’s midway point. As a Detroit power play ended, Brett Hull fed Datsyuk with a pass as he streaked in on goal. At the edge of the crease, Datsyuk drew Kolzig over and then dished the puck off to Brendan Shanahan at the side of the net, who put the puck into the open goal.

The first goal of the game for Datsyuk came on a Detroit power play with 6:28 remaining in the second. He sent a pass through the crease and a Washington defenseman knocked the puck into the net as he tried to clear it away from the goalmouth.

Just over a minute and a half later, Brett Hull was hauled down on a breakaway and was given a penalty shot. Hull stickhandled as he broke in on Kolzig, who came far out of the crease, and lost the puck, failing to convert on the attempt.

Jason Williams scored his second goal of the season 710 into the third period. Cutting through the slot, Williams took a pass from Boyd Devereaux on his backhand and held the puck long enough to settle it down and bank it off of Kolzig’s shoulder.

The last goal of the night was Datsyuk’s second. He picked up the puck at the Washington blue line and carried it into the high slot, wristing a shot past Kolzig to move into first place in the NHL points race.

Detroit went one-for-four on the power play while Washington was unsuccessful in all of their six attempts with the extra skater. Joseph stopped 18 of 19 shots against in net for the Red Wings. Kolzig stopped 21 of 26 Red Wing shots for Washington.

The Red Wings are next in action on Monday when they host the Florida Panthers.