• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Red Wings get by Columbus on Brunner's SO goal

Jan 22, 2013 - 6:55 AM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Damien Brunner's fourth-round shootout goal propelled the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday at Nationwide Arena.

After the first seven shooters all game up empty, Brunner drove hard to the net and avoided a stick check from Columbus goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky before stuffing the puck inside the left post past the outstretched pad of Bobrovsky to send the Red Wings to their first victory of the season.

Pavel Datsyuk registered a goal and an assist, while Brian Lashoff and Ian White each scored once for the Red Wings, who were blanked 6-0 by St. Louis in their season-opener on Saturday.

Jimmy Howard turned away 30 shots in the victory.

"This was an important game tonight. You don't want to go down 0-2 to start the season, especially in this shortened season. The two points are key," Howard said.

Cam Atkinson, James Wisniewski and Vinny Prospal recorded a goal apiece for the Blue Jackets, who opened their season with a 3-2 shootout win at Nashville. Bobrovsky finished with 39 saves in the setback.

"We're trying to find a way to get a point in every single game because every point is so precious with only 48 games," Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson said. "Win or lose you have to put it behind you and get ready for the next one."

Detroit carried a 2-1 edge into the third, but the Blue Jackets converted a pair of power-play opportunities early in the frame to jump in front.

Wisniewski started the flurry with a blast from the high slot that sailed through a screen and over the glove of Howard to tie the game at the 3:24 mark of the third.

Then, just over five minutes later, the Blue Jackets worked the power play to perfection again. Nikita Nikitin fired a shot from the point that sailed high over the net. The rebound deflected off the glass and slid into the slot, where Prospal recovered it before ripping a wrister past Howard for a 3-2 lead at the 8:43 mark.

Detroit's answer came at the tail end of a man-advantage with just over six minutes left in the game. Henrik Zetterberg won a scrum in the right corner and slid a pass into the slot to a wide-open Niklas Kronwall. Rather than shoot, Kronwall made a nice feed down low to Datsyuk, who tapped it home from the right side of the net to tie the game at the 13:56 mark.

The Red Wings outshot Columbus, 4-2, in the extra session, but Bobrovsky was able to kept Detroit off the board before allowing the game-winner in the shootout.

Detroit dominated the first period, but couldn't crack the scoreboard until early in the second, when Lashoff ripped a shot from the point that snuck past Bobrovsky for a 1-0 edge at the 1:10 mark.

The Red Wings doubled their advantage late in the frame when White finished a one-timer off a backdoor feed from Johan Franzen, but the Blue Jackets countered just over a minute later when Atkinson broke free and deked Howard before finishing with the forehand to bring Columbus within 2-1 at the 15:20 mark.

Game Notes

Detroit will play its home opener on Tuesday against Dallas ... The Red Wings went 0-for-7 on the power play, while Columbus finished 2-for-7 on the man- advantage ... Kronwall finished with two assists for Detroit.