Red Wings Hold Off Wild for 27th Road Win

The Detroit Red Wings tied a franchise record with their 27th road win of the season on Sunday, defeating the Minnesota Wild, 3-2. Detroit is now one road win shy of tying the NHL record.

The Red Wings’ top-ranked power play scored twice on Minnesota’s NHL-leading penalty kill, including the goal that was the difference, Brendan Shanahan’s 102nd career game-winning goal.

With 6:32 remaining in the second period, Robert Lang sent a pass from the left wing boards down to Steve Yzerman, who moved the puck on to Brendan Shanahan in the slot for a quick shot past Wild goaltender Manny Fernandez, giving the Red Wings a 3-1 lead.

That goal came 3:03 after a similar power play goal put Detroit in the lead.

Lang had the puck in the same spot and passed down to Yzerman before cutting to the net. Yzerman got the puck back to him and he hesitated before putting a shot past Fernandez.

Minnesota had opened the scoring just 1:33 into the game, when Pierre-Marc Bouchard tipped a screened shot by Mattias Weinhandl past Detroit’s Manny Legace.

The Red Wings tied things up with 5:04 remaining in the opening period on a goal by Henrik Zetterberg.

Tomas Holmstrom got the puck behind the Minnesota goal and sent a blind backhand pass into the slot. Zetterbereg was jumping towards the goal and was wide open to put the puck home.

The Wild pulled to within one with a five-on-three goal with 3:01 remaining in the second.

Marian Gaborik fired a shot from the left circle that deflected off Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios and between Legace’s pads.

A scoreless third period was capped by the Red Wings controlling the puck even after the Wild pulled Fernandez for the extra attacker.

Legace faced only 18 shots shots and made 16 saves, while Fernandez stopped 34 of 37 shots against.

Detroit went two-for-four on the power play and held the Wild to one-for-four on their chances.

The Red Wings will be back in action on Monday night in the final of four games in five nights.

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Nicklas Lidstrom’s assist on Robert Lang’s second period goal was his 800th career point… Steve Yzerman is now on a seven-game point streak… Mathieu Schneider and Dan Cleary both missed the game with minor injuries.