Zetterberg Scores Three as Red Wings Rally Past Sabres

Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg scored a third-period hat trick on Sunday night, capping the Red Wings’ come-from-behind win over the Buffalo Sabres.

Zetterberg’s first came just 1:59 into the final frame and the game already tied 3-3. Pavel Datsyuk’s shot from the high slot made it through traffic to Buffalo netminder Jhonas Enroth, who made a pad stop. Zetterberg was on the doorstep, however, and he grabbed the rebound and backhanded a shot into the back of the net to give the Red Wings their first lead.

At 5:05 of the period, Zetterberg took a feed from Gustav Nyquist and snapped a shot past Enroth from the front of the net for a power play goal and a 5-3 lead.

Tyler Ennis scored his second of the night 3:26 later to pull the Sabres back to within a goal. Off a faceoff win in the left circle, Ennis gathered up the puck and spun to throw a shot on net, with the puck just trickling between the pads of Detroit goalie Tom McCollum.

Zetterberg rounded out the game’s scoring with 8:01 left, snapping a shot from the left circle on Enroth that found it’s way through and in.

Three first period goals by Buffalo had given the Sabres an early lead and chased Detroit starter Petr Mrazek from the crease.

At 1:46 of the period, Drew Stafford fired a shot from the inside edge of the right circle to beat Mrazek. A turnover in the opposite corner behind the Detroit net got the puck to Cody Hodgson, who sent a centering pass to Stafford for the shot.

Ennis’ first goal of the game made it 2-0 with 9:39 left. Ennis threw a shot from low on the right wing towards the goal and it deflected off of defenseman Jonathan Ericsson, beating Mrazek as Matt Moulson crashed the net.

Chris Stewart’s power play goal 3:18 later gave Buffalo the three-goal lead. Stewart deflected Ennis’ shot from the top of the left circle while positioned in front of the net.

McCollum would take over for Mrazek at that point.

Nyquist would score on the power play just 1:00 into the second to start Detroit’s comeback. Zetterberg’s high shot from the top of the left circle deflected off Tyson Strachan’s head and came to Nyquist in the slot. Enroth stopped Nyquist’s first chance but he batted the rebound out of mid-air and into the net to make it 3-1.

Drew Miller’s spinning shot from the inside edge of the left circle made it 3-2 3:07 later.

Tomas Tatar would complete the comeback eight seconds past the game’s midway point. After losing the puck in the slot, Tatar snatched it back and whipped a quick shot past Enroth for a 3-3 tie.

The Sabres finished the night one-for-three on the power play while the Red Wings went two-for-four.

McCollum stopped seven of the eight shots he faced to earn his first-ever National Hockey League win. Mrazek made four saves on seven shots before getting pulled, while Enroth stopped 20 of 26 Detroit chances.

The Red Wings are next in action on Tuesday when they host the Minnesota Wild in their last game before the All-Star break.