Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) – Pavel Datsyuk celebrated his return to the
lineup with two goals, and the Detroit Red Wings continued their home
dominance over the Philadelphia Flyers thanks to a 5-2 decision at Joe Louis
Arena.
Stephen Weiss added a goal and assist for the Red Wings, winners in five of
their last seven.
Tomas Jurco and Henrik Zetterberg also lit the lamp. Darren Helm picked up a
pair of assists to back a 22-save effort by Jimmy Howard.
Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek tallied for the Flyers, who have lost six of
seven since a three-game win streak.
Steve Mason took the loss, charged with three goals on 14 shots over 31-plus
minutes. Ray Emery subbed for the remainder of the game and made nine stops.
Giroux recorded his first even-strength goal of the season on a rising wrister
from the left wing off a neutral-zone turnover to tie the game at 2:31 of the
second.
Things turned decidedly in the direction of the hosts from there, however.
Jurco pumped home a rebound with 9:42 left in the period and the Wings
regained a 2-1 lead, and Detroit was up by two just five seconds into a
Voracek holding minor when Datsyuk — who had been out since Nov. 16 with a
nagging groin injury — threaded the needle on a shot from below the left
circle at 11:47.
It was 4-1 for the hosts with 1:21 left before the second intermission as
Datsyuk popped a bouncing puck past Emery from the left side.
Voracek slipped a shot through a sliding Wings defender and a diving Howard at
the start of a power-play chance and the Flyers were back to 4-2 at 12:25 of
the third.
Emery was pulled for an extra skater but Zetterberg hit the empty net to seal
the outcome with 1:22 to play.
Detroit hit the scoreboard just after the midway point of the first period, as
Helm’s shot through a screen from the right circle deflected off Weiss and got
by Mason.
Game Notes
Datsyuk recorded his second multi-goal effort in just 11 games this year, and
first since Oct. 31 against the Kings … The Red Wings have won three of
their last four home dates with the Flyers and improved to 17-3-2 in Detroit
against Philly since November of 1988 … Philadelphia forward Michael Raffl
returned after an eight-game absence due to a foot injury from blocking a shot
on Nov. 4 … Flyers defenseman Michael Del Zotto was a minus-3 with one shot
on goal in 22:07 of ice time.
