Bertuzzi Boosts Power Play as Red Wings Roll Past Flyers, 5-2

The Detroit Red Wings shuffled their lines heading into Saturday’s matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers, a move that immediately paid off as their new-look power play scored three times en route to a 5-2 win.

The Red Wings had been held scoreless on the man-advantage over their first four games of the season.

Forward Todd Bertuzzi moved up from the third line to the first and took a spot on the first power play unit, from which he opened the game’s scoring at 7:13 of the first period. Niklas Kronwall chased a puck into the corner and knocked it loose to Daniel Alfredsson, who sent it to Bertuzzi behind the net. Bertuzzi reached around and tucked it in behind Philadelphia goalie Ray Emery for Detroit’s first power play goal of the year.

Kronwall took a cross-ice feed from Alfredsson to snap a shot from the right faceoff circle past Emery with 8:52 left in the second period to make it 2-0 with another power play tally.

Erik Gustafsson would get the Flyers on the board just 34 seconds later when his shot from the point skipped off the ice and knucked past Detroit netminder Jimmy Howard to make it 2-1.

Pavel Datsyuk scored Detroit’s third goal with the man-advantage at 3:08 of the third period, blindly backhanding a shot from the slot through a screen by Bertuzzi and by Emery to put the Red Wings up, 3-1.

Once again the Flyers responded quickly to cut the lead to a single goal, as Tye McGinn swatted the rebound of a Jakub Voracek chance past the sprawling Howard at 5:46 to make it 3-2.

Henrik Zetterberg scored an even-strength goal with 6:12 remaining, snapping a shot from the high slot past Emery off a feed from Datsyuk, who had kicked the puck from one skate to the other and then onto his stick to gain the Philadelphia zone and start the play.

Zetterberg would round out the scoring with an empty net goal in the game’s final minute.

The Red Wings finished the night three-for-seven on the power play. The Flyers went scoreless on four tries with the extra attacker.

Howard made 32 saves on 34 shots while Emery stopped 25 of the 29 shots he faced.

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Prior to the game, the Red Wings signed 2013 first-round draft pick Anthony Mantha to a three-year entry-level deal. Mantha, the QMJHL’s leading scorer this season, will remain with the Val d’Or Foreurs for this season with his contract picking up next year at the earliest… Brendan Smith was a healthy scratch on defense as Brian Lashoff made his first appearance of the season. Mikael Samuelsson and Tomas Tatar were the odd-men out up front in favor of Jordin Tootoo… Luke Glendening made his NHL debut for the Wings, having been called up on Friday after Cory Emmerton was sent down to the Grand Rapids Griffins.