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Red Wings skate past Devils

Dec 7, 2013 - 6:05 AM Newark, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - Jimmy Howard needed to make just 10 saves to help the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Friday.

Tomas Tatar posted a goal and an assist, while Joakim Andersson and Johan Franzen also scored for the Red Wings, who have won five of their last six games.

"We've been playing really good lately," said Andersson. "Right now we're finding ways to win and that's what it's all about. You just don't want to lose three or four in a row."

Andy Greene scored the only goal of the game for the Devils, who have lost three straight. Cory Schneider allowed all three goals on 21 shots.

"We did some good things moving the puck but we just couldn't get any shots through on net," said Schneider. "If we could have got that second one it would have been big, but they played tough."

The Devils took the initial lead in the game at 13:43 of the first while on the power play as Greene skated the puck into the zone down the middle and dished it over to his left for Patrik Elias, who sent it back to the front where Greene redirected it in.

Detroit, though, tied the game with 36 seconds to play in the second period. Andersson's shot from the high slot went wide to the right of the net, but Drew Miller picked it up and from a sharp angle sent a shot on net. Schneider stopped that, but Andersson was able to bang home the rebound.

The Red Wings then took a 2-1 lead at 12:40 of the third period. Tatar had the puck behind the net and sent it to the low right circle for Gustav Nyquist, who slid a pass under the defense to the left side where Franzen had an easy tap-in.

Detroit sealed the victory with 1:03 to play while on the power play as a right circle faceoff saw several players jam for the puck, with it eventually squirting out to the left and Tatar snapping it in.

Game Notes

Detroit returns home to face Florida for the first of a home-and-home set on Saturday ... New Jersey plays in New York against the Rangers on Saturday ... Detroit has won three of the last four games against New Jersey ... The Red Wings were 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Devils went 1-for-5.