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Lidstrom, Osgood lead Red Wings to fifth straight win

Jan 31, 2008 - 4:41 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The All-Stars of the Detroit Red Wings played an integral part of their latest victory.

Captain Nicklas Lidstrom set up the tying goal midway through the third period and scored the game-winner with 7:28 remaining as the Red Wings rallied for a 3-2 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday.

Henrik Zetterberg scored in his return to the lineup, Pavel Datsyuk collected three assists and Chris Osgood stopped 32 shots for Detroit, which has won five straight.

Along with Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Osgood represented the Red Wings in Sunday's All-Star Game. Zetterberg was voted to start for the Western Conference in the midseason gala but skipped the contest to rest his ailing back.

Lidstrom claimed the Red Wings were at a disadvantage by not having played since before the All-Star break.

"We were a little bit rusty at the start," Lidstrom said. "They had some jump on us. I think it helped their cause by playing (Tuesday) night. They got their legs going. It took us a while to get ours. Then we took the game over and created a lot of chances."

Osgood, who was outstanding throughout, made a spectacular pad save to deny Shane Doan on a breakaway and preserve the lead with 30.4 seconds left.

"They had some great chances in the third period. (In the) second, too, and Ozzie stopped them," Lidstrom said. "On that breakaway by Doan, he was so quick to cover, and he didn't give him much to shoot at."

Although he was pleased with the victory, Red Wings coach Mike Babcock was not gloating over it.

"They probably thought they should have had a better fate," Babcock said. "I didn't think we did anything until it was 2-1. Phoenix works hard. They have a lot of young guys and a good goaltender."

Osgood gave Phoenix credit for making Detroit look bad for more than half the game.

"They always play us tough," Osgood said. "We were rusty, but they had a lot to do with it."

Phoenix, which lost all four meetings between the teams this season, carried a 2-1 edge into the third on the strength of All-Star defenseman Ed Jovanovski's goal with 8:31 left in the second.

"We played hard," Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky said. "I'm disappointed we didn't get more out of it."

The Coyotes fell short, however, as Lidstrom took over and nearly beat them single-handedly.

After assisting on Tomas Holmstrom's game-tying goal at 9:09, Lidstrom blasted a slap shot from the slot that beat screened goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov for a 3-2 lead.

Detroit had tied the game when Lidstrom fired a shot from the left faceoff circle that deflected off the skate of Holmstrom and past Bryzgalov.

"It helps tremendously when (Holmstrom) is in front of the net," Lidstrom said. "The first goal just went off his leg. That has to be distracting for a goalie."

The Red Wings opened the scoring just 3:54 into the first thanks to Zetterberg, who missed Detroit's previous two games with a sore back. The Swede, who entered Wednesday with 61 points in 44 games this season, netted his 29th goal as his shot from the left side of the net deflected off the skate of Bryzgalov and in.

Lidstrom also recorded an assist on the play.

Coyotes rookie Martin Hanzal tied it at 1-1 when he pounced on a turnover and fired a shot from the slot that beat Osgood between the pads midway through the opening period.

Bryzgalov stopped 36 shots for Phoenix, which had its three-game winning streak snapped.

"Tonight, Detroit was lucky to get the win," Bryzgalov said. "The first goal was lucky. The second one, too. On the third one, Holmstrom was there and I didn't see the puck."