Dan Cleary scored the tiebreaking goal with 2:03 left, and Jimmy Howard made 28 saves to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday night.
The Red Wings, who have been trying to make the most of a sputtering offense, shook off an early 1-0 deficit and won this matchup between Original Six teams.
After Marian Gaborik failed to control the puck and get off a shot in the Detroit end, Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom started a rush the other way. Henrik Zetterberg sent a pass to Cleary, who banked in a shot off the skate of goalie Henrik Lundqvist for his seventh goal.
Detroit, which rallied from two down before losing in a shootout at New Jersey on Saturday, also got goals from Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper into an empty net. The Red Wings have won three of five (3-1-1).
Brian Boyle scored the lone Rangers' goal, and Lundqvist made 28 saves for New York, which failed to build on a 2-1 win at Buffalo on Saturday and lost for the fourth time in five games.
The Red Wings tied it 1-1 just 4 seconds after their second power play expired. Tomas Holmstrom set up shop in his usual spot in front and distracted Lundqvist as Zetterberg flipped a puck on net from the left circle. Lundqvist stopped the shot, but the rebound bounced free by the right post to Datsyuk, who jammed in his seventh goal with 8:01 left in the second.
Datsyuk had gone seven games without a goal, struggling along with the rest of his teammates. Detroit generated only 12 goals in that stretch, including three games in which the Red Wings were either shut out or scored once.
The Rangers took the lead in the first period on Boyle's third goal of the season, despite being outshot 14-6 in the frame. New York, too, has been searching for offense lately. The Rangers netted only 10 goals in their previous five games, following a seven-goal outburst in a win over Columbus on Nov. 23.
Boyle's goal also came right after a Rangers penalty. Just 12 seconds after Sean Avery left the box following a hooking call, Christopher Higgins sent a pass from the left side toward the net that Boyle redirected past Howard at 15:56.
New York had several other scoring chances, but couldn't take advantage of breakaways by Ryan Callahan and Higgins. Callahan's rush was disrupted by a hook to the midsection from behind by Jonathan Ericsson 1:37 into the second period that produced a penalty shot. On the attempt, Callahan raced in and cut to his right, but Howard beat him to the right post with his pad to stop the low shot.
Higgins was sent in alone by Rangers rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto with 6:52 left in the second, but Howard was again up to the task and kept the game tied.
The game featured physical play on both sides, not always common in games between teams from different conferences.
Avery absorbed a punch from Zetterberg near the Detroit bench in the second period as he ratcheted up his agitation techniques. New York forward Artem Anisimov was flattened by defenseman Brad Stuart in front of the penalty box as he skated with his head down. Stuart caught him with a hard hit to the chest that sent Anisimov sprawling to the ice.
The Rangers enjoyed three power plays in the third, but failed on all. Avery had the best chance to score, but the puck bounced off his stick during the second advantage as he stood in front of an open right side.
NOTES: New York Jets coach Rex Ryan was in attendance, wearing a Rangers cap. ... Red Wings D Brian Rafalski returned to the lineup after missing two games because of a back injury. ... Detroit is 11-1 against the Rangers since Feb. 14, 1999.
