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Lebda, Samuelsson help Red Wings avoid rare home loss

Mar 10, 2007 - 5:20 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Despite a superb effort from Sean Burke, the Los Angeles Kings could not prevent a pair of great plays by defenseman Brett Lebda and Mikael Samuelsson.

Lebda scored a highlight-reel goal with six minutes to go in the third period and Samuelsson tallied at 3:26 of overtime, giving the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 victory over the Kings.

Pavel Datsyuk added a goal and an assist for Detroit (43-16-9), which climbed within one point of idle Nashville (45-18-6) for first place in the Central Division and Western Conference. The Predators also lead the race for the Presidents' Trophy.

With the Red Wings trailing, 2-1, Lebda made a spectacular end-to-end rush to help his team avoid just its fourth regulation loss at home this season. Starting from behind his own net, the 25-year-old raced up the left side and around fellow blue-liner Kevin Dallman in the faceoff circle before flipping the puck past Burke's glove for his first goal in 28 games and a 2-2 tie.

"I've had a few of those this year," Lebda said. "(This time), I capitalized on it. Hopefully, we can get a few more of those before the playoffs."

"He can really skate, get the puck going up the ice," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "Lots of times when teams are sitting back and trapping like LA was, the better your D skates, the better off you are."

After successfully killing Robert Lang's tripping penalty in overtime, Detroit turned a turnover by Los Angeles into its fourth win in five games. Back in the lineup after missing 18 games with a broken foot, Samuelsson pounced on the puck after a miscue in the Red Wings' zone and led a 2-on-1 rush.

The Swede dished to Datsyuk, who quickly completed a return pass that Samuelsson shoveled past Burke for his 12th tally of the season.

"You have to always be ready for it when Pav has the puck," Samuelsson said. "He was wide open. I know how talented he is, and he's more talented than me, so it's playing the odds, I guess."

"We got to overtime and the power play and we don't take advantage, and then we make a mental error and they get a 2-on-1," Los Angeles defenseman Aaron Miller said. "It's little mistakes like that that cost us all year, but we're battling. Teams like that, you turn the puck over and they burn you."

The comeback spoiled a tremendous effort by Burke, who tied his career high with 51 saves. The 40-year-old also stopped 51 shots against the New York Islanders on January 1, 1994 while with the Hartford Whalers.

"(Detroit's) a great hockey club," Burke said. "You can tell that they never feel desperate. They just keep working."

Even though Burke was not willing to pat himself on the back, his teammates had no problem doing so.

"Burkie was amazing," Kings center Michael Cammalleri said. "He was great since he got here, and tonight was a great example of that."

"Our goaltender gave us a great effort," Miller added. "I don't know if we deserved to get the win, but what a great game by Burkie."

Dominik Hasek made 24 saves and also picked up an assist for the Red Wings, who improved to a league-best 25-3-5 at home and extended their unbeaten streak against the Kings at Joe Louis Arena to 11 games (10-0-0 with one tie).

"I thought we did a lot of things well all night, did a lot of things we need to do to be successful against this team," Cammalleri said. "To lose in OT like that is no good."

Hasek missed Detroit's previous three games with a thigh injury.

"I feel good about the way I played and didn't have any problems," the six-time Vezina Trophy winner said. "I feel great."

Tough guy Raitis Ivanans and Brian Willsie scored for Los Angeles, which has lost four straight.

Winless in Detroit since February 18, 2000, the Kings grabbed a 1-0 lead at 11:16 of the first period, when Ivanans buried the rebound of rookie John Zeiler's shot following a turnover by Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall.

Datsyuk forged a tie with 5:56 to go in the second, knocking the puck past Burke from the right side of the net after Johan Franzen's shot from the slot was blocked. But Los Angeles moved back in front just 27 seconds later as Hasek failed to control the rebound of Dallman's weak wrist shot and Willsie punched in the puck from the right side of the net.