Datsyuk Leads Red Wings to Second Consecutive Win

Pavel Datsyuk scored the game-winning goal for the second consecutive night, leading the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

On Friday night, Datsyuk scored in overtime to give Detroit a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers.

Datsyuk scored with 6:47 remaining in the third period Saturday, breaking a 3-3 tie. Ian Cole turned the puck over to Datsyuk along the boards right wing boards, then Datsyuk jumped between Cole and T.J. Oshie. Moving to the slot, Datsyuk stickhandled around Roman Polak and snapped a shot past goalie Jaroslav Halak.

Justin Abdelkader scored 1:20 later, taking a feed from Niklas Kronwall to break in alone and wrist a shot past Halak, locking up the win.

The Blues had opened the game’s scoring at 9:17 of the first when Adam Cracknell took a feed from Ryan Reeves and whipped a shot past Jimmy Howard from the left faceoff circle.

Ruslan Salei took advantage of a St. Louis turnover to get Detroit on the board 2:34 later, picking up a loose puck at the top of the right circle and snapping it past Halak.

Just 16 seconds later, Darren Helm knocked the rebound of an Abdelkader chance past Halak to put the Red Wings in the lead.

Niklas Kronwall’s power play blast from just inside the blue line made it 3-1 in favor of the Wings with 1:25 remaining in the second.

David Backes started St. Louis’ rally at 3:48 of the third, snapping the rebound of his own shot from the left faceoff circle past Howard.

Matt D’Agostini tied it up 2:31 later, deflecting a Kevin Shattenkirk shot from the point past Howard.

Kronwall’s goal was the only power play tally of the night. Detroit had two chances with the extra attacker while the Blues had four.

Howard made 26 saves on 29 shots. Halak stopped 22 of 27 chances.

The Red Wings will be off until Wednesday when they host the Washington Capitals.