Red Wings 3 - 1 Coyotes
Final
  for this game

Mrazek, Red Wings head to Arizona

Feb 7, 2015 - 4:07 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Detroit Red Wings aim for a second straight win to begin a three-game road trip when they visit the Arizona Coyotes for Saturday's battle at Gila River Arena.

Detroit has won two straight overall since getting slammed 5-1 last week by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The setback in Tampa was only the second loss in the last 12 games for the Red Wings, who enter Saturday just two points behind the Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division.

The Wings rebounded from the loss to the Bolts with last Saturday's 4-1 home win over the New York Islanders and were then idle until beating the Colorado Avalanche 3-0 on Thursday to start the current swing.

Petr Mrazek made 28 saves for his first shutout of the season and Detroit scored two empty-net goals in the win over the Avalanche.

Justin Abdelkader's power-play goal in the second period was the only one the Red Wings needed to pick up their eighth win in nine games.

They got two more after Avalanche coach Patrick Roy pulled Semyon Varlamov for an extra skater with around 3:05 left in the game. Darren Helm scored about 30 seconds later and Luke Glendening added another empty-netter in the final minute.

Mrazek had 12 saves in the first period, nine in the second and secured his third career shutout with seven stops in the third.

The Red Wings killed off three Colorado power plays, including two in a scoreless first period.

"It was important the way we kept the game 0-0 for a while," said Abdelkader. "They came out strong as they always do here. We kept our shifts short. We felt we got our feet going a little bit in the second period and we were able to take the game over."

Mrazek is expected to start again tonight for Detroit, but injured No. 1 netminder Jimmy Howard could return to the lineup when the Red Wings close out this road trip Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

Howard has missed the last nine games with a torn groin and Mrazek has started all nine in his place, going 7-1-0 during that stretch.

The Coyotes had a two-game winning streak snapped its last time out, falling 2-1 in a shootout against visiting Carolina.

Elias Lindholm scored the lone goal of the tiebreaker after beating Mike Smith in the first round. The Coyotes were unable to score in the shootout as Lucas Lessio and Antoine Vermette each hit the post and Sam Gagner lost control of the puck.

David Moss provided Arizona's lone marker, while Keith Yandle extended his point streak to five games with an assist. Smith turned aside 39 shots in defeat.

"I think there were parts of the game that were OK, but overall we didn't do enough things right to create enough chances," said Moss.

Arizona, which is well out of playoff contention in the West, has lost four straight on home ice and is 9-12-4 in the desert this season. The Coyotes have won two straight and three of their last four home games against Detroit and the Wings have lost four of six overall in this series.

Smith is 4-5-2 with a 2.49 goals against average in 11 career games against Detroit.






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