Datsyuk Scores Twice in Return, Red Wings Down Flyers 5-2

Pavel Datsyuk returned to the Detroit lineup on Wednesday night after missing four games with an aggravated groin injury, scoring twice to help the Red Wings over the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-2.

Datsyuk’s first – the eventual game-winning goal – came with 8:13 left in the second period as he snapped a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle past Philadelphia goalie Steve Mason through traffic to make it 3-1 on a Detroit power play.

Mason was pulled in favor of backup Ray Emery after the goal.

With 1:21 left in the period, Datsyuk scored his second of the night to put the Wings up by three. Darren Helm’s shot bounced off the post to the left of Emery and out the other side, where Datsyuk knocked it out of mid-air and into the net.

Jakub Voracek pulled the Flyers back to within a pair with 7:35 left in the third period, snapping a shot from the left circle past Detroit netminder Jimmy Howard on a power play, off a feed from the opposite side of the net by Wayne Simmonds.

Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg added an empty net goal in the game’s closing minutes to round out the scoring.

Stephen Weiss scored his third goal in two games since returning from a groin injury of his own to open the game’s scoring at 10:12 of the first period, tipping a Helm shot past Mason.

Claude Giroux tied things up at 2:31 of the second. Picking off a pass by Danny DeKeyser in the netutral zone, Giroux skated into the Detroit zone and snapped a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle off the skate of defenseman Kyle Quincey and past Howard.

Tomas Jurco would restore Detroit’s lead at 10:18 of the period, swatting the rebound of a DeKeyser shot past Mason from the right circle.

Mason finished the night with 11 saves on 14 shots before giving way to Emery, who stopped nine of ten shots. Howard made 22 saves on 24 shots.

Each team had a single power play goal. Philadelphia had four tries with the extra attacker to Detroit’s three.

The Red Wings are back in action on Friday when they visit the New Jersey Devils.

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Kyle Quincey and Sean Couturier fought late in the second period… Daniel Cleary, Joakim Andersson, and Brian Lashoff were healthy scratches for Detroit.