Red Wings Snap Nashville's Winning Streak With 5-2 victory

NOAH TRISTER, AP Sports Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Tomas Tatar scored twice, and Henrik Zetterberg added a clever tally from behind the goal line to help the Detroit Red Wings snap Nashville's five-game winning streak with a 5-2 victory over the Predators on Saturday night.

Gustav Nyquist, Kyle Quincey and Tatar scored in the first period for Detroit, chasing Nashville goalie Carter Hutton from the game after only one save. Hutton was making his second start since the Predators lost Pekka Rinne to a knee injury.

The Red Wings are without their top goalie, too, but Petr Mrazek made 34 saves in place of an injured Jimmy Howard.

Detroit led 3-1 when Zetterberg surprised just about everyone with his power-play goal. The veteran forward flipped the puck toward the net from near the left corner, and it appeared to skip off goalie Marek Mazanec's mask or back and slipped into the far corner of the net.

The Predators had earned at least a point in 10 straight games, but they were also coming off a hard-fought victory over Washington on Friday night. The Red Wings jumped ahead after only 57 seconds, when Nyquist scored off a pass from Riley Sheahan on an odd-man rush.

Quincey made it 2-0 when his shot from near the blue line appeared to deflect off at least two Nashville players and past Hutton. Tatar scored 70 seconds later, and the Predators switched goalies.

Mattias Ekholm scored for Nashville late in the first.

Zetterberg's goal was so unusual that the crowd didn't cheer in earnest until the teams were just about ready to take the ensuing faceoff. It was as if fans were having a hard time believing the puck could have gone in.

Tatar's team-leading 20th goal made it 5-1 in the final minute of the period. He batted Sheahan's pass out of midair and past Mazanec from right in front of the net.

Mazanec made 18 saves in his first appearance of the season.

Mike Fisher scored a power-play goal in the first minute of the third for Nashville.

The Predators came in tied with Anaheim for the most points in the NHL, and this was only their second loss by more than two goals this season. Pittsburgh beat Nashville 3-0 in October.

NOTES: With 757 points, Zetterberg is one behind Norm Ullman for seventh place on Detroit's career list. ... Howard has been out with a groin injury, and Detroit was also without D Jakub Kindl (elbow), RW Tomas Jurco (back), G Jonas Gustavsson (shoulder) and RW Johan Franzen (head). In addition to Rinne, Nashville was missing D Ryan Ellis (lower body) and RW Eric Nystrom (upper body).

 

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