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Zetterberg leads charge as Red Wings topple Sharks

Feb 26, 2009 - 5:13 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The wild, wild West has become even more rampant.

Henrik Zetterberg scored a pair of goals on Wednesday as the Detroit Red Wings used a fast start to post a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in battle of the Western Conference's top teams.

Marian Hossa and Ville Leino scored first-period tallies and Kris Draper notched two assists in support of Ty Conklin's 34-save effort for Detroit, which has won three of its last four games.

"When you play against good teams, you end up playing good hockey games," Zetterberg said. "It was two hard-working teams but it was nice to end up on top."

With the win, the Red Wings crept within three points of the Sharks for the top spot in the West.

"We'll see," Zetterberg said. "We're going to play our games, they're going to play their games. We've just got to find out after 82 if we're behind or ahead.

"I think for sure it's starting to get a little rivalry. We're playing these guys and playing them hard. Right now that's the team to beat. So it's tough games against them. They're playing well so looking forward to the playoffs, see maybe if we going head to head."

Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff scored the lone goal and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 29 shots for San Jose, which had its four-game winning streak halted.

"It was a pretty intense night," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "I think both teams looked at it that way. We understood it was going to be a big game. It was well-played, I thought, at times by both teams.

"We were a little sloppier than they were and it ended up costing us. A lot of specialty teams play - with the way their power play is now that probably favors them and probably cost us at the end of the night."

Hossa opened the scoring at 6:51 of the opening period by beating Nabokov with a snap shot from the low slot on the power play. The Slovakian sat out the third period for precautionary reasons after colliding with Doug Murray in the middle session.

"He's fine," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "Murray was coming from the front and pushed him and (Ryane) Clowe was coming the other direction and he didn't see Clowe and got fouled up with his stick. He'll be fine."

Leino doubled the lead with 3:52 remaining in the session, converting a slap shot while stationed on the doorstep.

Zetterberg staked Detroit to a 3-1 advantage at 4:08 of the second, when he lifted a wrist shot into the vacant net for his 23rd goal of the season while shorthanded.

"It was a real nice play by (Zetterberg)," Babcock said. "We've grown accustomed to seeing a play like that here. I don't think the first half of this year indicated the type of player he is. Ideally, he'll get on a good roll here down the stretch."

Ehrhoff solved Conklin with a power-play goal just over two minutes later.

"Every game's important," San Jose's Joe Thornton said. "We don't take any game more important than any other."

The 28-year-old Zetterberg secured his fourth multi-goal game of the season with 2:57 remaining in the contest.

"I think it's two good teams that play good at home," Zetterberg said. "For sure we want to have the first seed, but it's going to be tough. They're still ahead and it's 21 games to play I think. We have to play our games and they have to play their games and see where we end up."

Conklin, who is 14-1-0 at home, earned his 12th straight victory at Joe Louis Arena. His only setback came on November 26, when the Montreal Canadiens recorded a 3-1 win.