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Maltby tallies twice as Red Wings soar past Coyotes

Oct 21, 2007 - 5:48 AM By Bob Huhn PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Coyotes managed to control the NHL's leading scorer and his linemates for the majority of the night. But one of the Detroit Red Wings' defensive-minded forwards picked up the offensive slack.

Kirk Maltby scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as the Red Wings skated to a 5-2 triumph over the Coyotes on Saturday.

Henrik Zetterberg, who entered Saturday with a league-leading 15 points and a five-game goal-scoring streak, was held to just one assist by the Coyotes before scoring in the final minutes. Linemates Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, who have combined for 17 points this season, were kept off the scoresheet until they helped set up Zetterberg's tally.

But Maltby came up with a big performance, tying the game midway through the second period and putting Detroit ahead for good in the final minutes of the session.

"Getting contributions from your third and fourth line takes so much pressure off of our top scorers," Maltby said. "It lets them feel that they don't have to go out there and score. It allows them to play, and when Pavel, Tomas and Hank have no pressure, it makes it easier for them. In the long run, it makes it easier for our whole team."

With the Red Wings trailing, 2-1, Maltby redirected defenseman Chris Chelios' shot from the right point past goaltender Mikael Tellqvist at 11:26 to forge a tie.

The Red Wings took a 3-2 lead with 25 seconds remaining in the period as Maltby received a return pass from Zetterberg and one-timed it by Tellqvist from the right faceoff dot.

Defenseman Brett Lebda created breathing room at 4:57 of the third. Tellqvist turned over the puck behind his own net, and Matt Ellis one-handed a pass in front to Lebda, who put it in for his first goal of the season.

Detroit's top line combined for a tally with 5:23 remaining to seal the win.

"We have great depth on our team, and tonight really proved that," Zetterberg said. "As long as you create some chances and keep it tight in your own end, we know that eventually some pucks will go in."

The Red Wings got on the board 4 1/2 minutes into the game, when Jiri Hudler poked in a loose puck from the left side of the crease after Daniel Cleary's pass was partially blocked by Tellqvist.

Zetterberg had an apparent goal waved off midway through the first as Holmstrom was called for goalie interference. Phoenix failed to convert during the power play but knotted the contest less than two minutes after the penalty expired.

Rookie Peter Mueller stole the puck from Datsyuk at the blue line and fed Steven Reinprecht, who beat netminder Dominik Hasek to the stick side with a wrist shot from the high slot at 12:45.

The Coyotes took the lead with 2:45 remaining in the session on a one-timer from the top of the slot by defenseman Derek Morris that got past Hasek, who was screened by Phoenix captain Shane Doan.

Phoenix carried the 2-1 lead into the first intermission despite being outshot, 19-6.

"They outskated us on the ice and their top guys played at will, and we seemed to be overwhelmed," Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky said. "In saying that, it was still 2-1 after one (period) and we missed a couple of chances to make it 3-1. They made it 2-2, and they were lucky to be at 2-2."

Tellqvist stopped 39 shots for the Coyotes, who have lost five of their last six games, including all three on their homestand.

"Telly played a phenomenal game for us, but we didn't generate enough offense," Doan said. "Our young guys are playing great and doing everything, and then some, we could ask of them. It has nothing to do with the young guys why we lost these last three. It's the older guys in this room."

Chelios collected two assists and Hasek made 19 saves for Detroit, which has won 10 of its last 11 meetings with Phoenix.

"We dominated the whole game tonight," Hasek said. "We made a few mistakes in the first and they scored, but overall, we were the better team each period. Tonight, I didn't have too much work, but we dominated the whole 60 minutes."

The Red Wings concluded their four-game road trip at 3-1-0.

"It went well for us and the guys played hard," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "It was a good trip for us, but the guys need a day off badly so we can get regrouped."