Datsyuk Scores Twice as Red Wings Down Avalanche in OT

Pavel Datsyuk opened and closed the scoring Friday night in Denver, scoring his second goal of the night with 16 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanch.

Datsyuk backhanded a loose puck in the crease past Colorado netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere to secure the win for Detroit.

Datsyuk had opened the scoring at 8:27 of the first period. Johan Franzen drew the Colorado defense to him as he cut through the right faceoff circle and drove to the net before dishing off to Datsyuk alone in the slot for a shot past Giguere. It was a power play goal, the same way Detroit opened the scoring the previous night against Phoenix.

As against the Coyotes, the next goal tied the game when Mark Oliver backhanded a shot over Jimmy Howard on a partial breakway with 8:24 remaining to make it 1-1.

The tie was short-lived, as Gustav Nyquist put Detroit back out in front just 13 seconds later. Nyquist scooped up a bobbled puck in the left circle of the Colorado zone and took it to the net, stuffing it in around Giguere’s pad to make it 2-1.

P.A. Parenteau evened things back up at 6:29 of the third period. Jamie McGinn threw the puck on net from the left wing boards and Parenteau knocked it in behind Howard out of mid-air with the shaft of his stick.

Howard would finish the night with 33 saves on 35 shots while Giguere stopped 28 of 31 chances.

The opening goal was the game’s only power play tally. Detroit had four tries with the extra attacker to Colorado’s three.

The Red Wings will now fly back to Detroit for a 12:30 matchup with the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

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Rookie defenseman Danny DeKeyser made his NHL debut for Detroit and Kyle Quincey returned from injury. Ian White was also back in the lineup. Brendan Smith, Brian Lashoff and Carlo Colaiacovo were out to make room.