Red Wings Hold On to Beat Predators

The Detroit Red Wings withstood a late comeback by the Nashville Predators Sunday afternoon, holding on for a 4-3 win.

The Red Wings had led 4-0 with half a period remaining but Nashville notched three goals to pull within a shot of tying things.

Special teams led the way as none of the seven goals were scored five-on-five.

Detroit’s first goal came on a five-on-three with 8:43 remaining in the first period. Nicklas Lidstrom, playing in his first game after missing six with a leg injury, worked the puck from the top of the left circle down to Henrik Zetterberg in the right circle, who sent it back across to the front of the net for a tip-in by Franzen.

Jiri Hudler scored on another smooth passing play 4:26 later. On another Detroit power play, Valtteri Filppula sent the puck past Hudler to Niklas Kronwall in the crease, who immediately sent it back to Hudler for a one-timer past goalie Chris Mason.

Brad Stuart notched his first goal as a Red Wing with 4:39 left in the second, scoring on a wraparound with the teams skating four aside.

Just 1:06 later, Franzen added a second power play goal, tipping a blast from the blue line by Lidstrom past Mason.

The Predators would begin their comeback in the second half of the final period.

With 8:36 remaining, just after the expiration of the first penalty in a five-on-three, Shea Weber’s blast from the high slot went over Dominik Hasek’s glove and into the net.

Martin Erat scored Nashville’s second with 3:25 remaining, banging in the rebound of a Scott Nichol chance on another power play.

With 1:01 left in regulation and the Nashville net empty for an extra attacker, Jordin Tootoo banged home another lose rebound, pulling the Predators to within a goal.

Detroit held on for the game’s final minute to preserve their lead and the victory, their third in a row after winning just one of eleven games.

---

Tomas Holmstrom missed the game with a groin injury. He will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine its severity… Brett Lebda was scratched due to illness.