Wild 0 - 6 Red Wings
Final
  for this game

Red Wings rout Wild

Mar 3, 2012 - 5:30 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Valtteri Filppula supplied two goals and one assist, and lightly-tested Jimmy Howard turned aside 19 shots in the Detroit Red Wings' resounding 6-0 win over the Minnesota Wild.

Henrik Zetterberg registered a goal and two assists for the Red Wings, who reclaimed sole possession of first place in the Central Division. The win, Detroit's second straight after three losses in a row, gives the club 89 points, two more than idle St. Louis.

The Red Wings had been dealt a pair of one-goal losses at Joe Louis Arena after setting a league record with 23 consecutive home wins.

Howard earned his sixth shutout of the season, extending a career high.

The Wild's Josh Harding was beaten six times on 29 shots before being replaced by Matt Hackett in the third period.

"Awful. It starts with me. I wasn't very good tonight," Harding said.

Minnesota has dropped three straight and four of its last five games overall.

"Right away we started skating well and [we're] able to get pucks in their end and create chances," said Filppula, who opened the scoring 35 seconds into the game.

Brendan Smith, a 23-year-old defenseman playing in his fifth career game, followed with his first NHL goal at the 16:04 mark of the first period.

Detroit erupted for three more goals in the second period, with Darren Helm, Filppula and Ian White lighting the lamp.

Filppula's second tally came on a slap shot from between the circles and made it 4-0 at 16:35. White beat Harding with a shot from atop the right face-off circle 67 seconds later.

Zetterberg hammered a pass by Filppula past Harding at 5:30 of the third period.

Game Notes

Howard now has 11th career shutouts...Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom missed his second straight game because of a deep bone bruise in his right ankle...Red Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi left Friday's game with a lower-body injury...Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom will miss 2-to-4 weeks with a groin strain suffered in Thursday's shootout loss at Montreal.






Related News