Streak Continues as Red Wings Hold Off Predators

The Detroit Red Wings extended their winning streak to seven games Monday night, holding off a comeback attempt by the Nashville Predators to earn a 2-1 victory.

Martin Gelinas scored a shorthanded goal late in the second period to cut a 2-0 Detroit lead in half but the Predators were unable to beat goalie Chris Osgood in the third period as the Red Wings survived to get the win.

The Gelinas goal came with just 24 seconds left in the middle period. David Legwand drove the net with the puck and went down in front of Osgood, leaving Gelinas free to put a shot under the goaltender’s pads and into the net.

Tomas Kopecky had gotten the Red Wings on the board at 7:10 of the first period. Pavel Datsyuk fought off a hit by Jordin Tootoo and carried the puck down the left wing and into the Nashville zone before sending a cross-ice pass to Kopecky for a one-timer past Nashville netminder Dan Ellis.

The eventual game-winner was scored with 4:54 left in the period, when Valtteri Filppula was awarded a penalty shot after being tripped up by Jerred Smithson while breaking in on Ellis. Filppula looked to his forehand but was closed off, then switched to his backhand and lifted a shot into the net.

Neither team scored a power play goal on the night. Detroit had six chances with the extra attacker and Nashville had seven.

Osgood stopped 30 of 31 Nashville shots for his 14th win of the season. Ellis made 33 saves on 35 Detroit shots.

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Derek Meech replaced defenseman Chris Chelios in the Detroit lineup, with the Red Wings attempting to keep Chelios from playing on back-to-back nights.