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Zetterberg, Red Wings extend streaks, top Blue Jackets

Nov 10, 2007 - 4:46 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The streaking Detroit Red Wings found a way to get the puck past Pascal Leclaire.

Daniel Cleary scored twice and Tomas Holmstrom and Henrik Zetterberg also tallied against the NHL's goaltending leader as the Red Wings extended their winning streak to a franchise record-tying nine games with a 4-1 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.

Mikael Samuelsson, Kirk Maltby and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom each recorded a pair of assists for Detroit, which has won nine straight games seven times in its history, most recently from October 25-November 14, 2006.

"It's confidence," Zetterberg said. "We're playing well. I think we play good defense and are not letting (opponents) have a lot of good chances. When you do that, the offense will come."

The Red Wings tied the mark by solving Leclaire, who entered with the league lead in shutouts (five), goals-against average (1.12) and save percentage (.957). The 2001 eighth overall pick yielded four goals on 36 shots in this one.

Entering with a 14-2-2 all-time home record against Columbus, Detroit grabbed a 1-0 lead with seven minutes remaining in the first period.

Defenseman Brett Lebda kept the puck in the offensive zone at the blue line during a power play, and it found its way to Samuelsson. From the left faceoff circle, Samuelsson made a cross-slot pass to Lebda for a shot from the top of the right circle that was deflected in by Cleary, who was screening Leclaire.

Cleary, who left the game in the second period after being hit in the face with the puck, extended his goal-scoring streak to three games with the tally, which originally was credited to Lebda.

The Blue Jackets pulled even with a man-advantage goal of their own early in the second. With Dallas Drake in the penalty box for hooking, Rick Nash beat netminder Dominik Hasek from the right side of the crease just 49 seconds into the session for his 11th goal of the season.

Former Red Wing Sergei Fedorov recorded an assist on the play, extending his points streak to six games.

Detroit cashed in on another power play later in the period to regain the lead.

Lidstrom, the reigning two-time Norris Trophy winner, whipped the puck behind the net from along the right wing boards to Holmstrom. The Swedish left wing walked out to the right goalpost and, after his first attempt was stopped, poked the puck past Leclaire with 6:07 left in the session for a 2-1 edge.

Cleary, who received nearly 20 stitches above his right eye before returning to start the third, gave the Red Wings some breathing room midway through the period.

"I'm just lucky enough that (the puck) wasn't a little bit lower," Cleary said. "It could have been a lot worse."

After getting ahead of two defenders in the slot, Cleary received a lead pass from the left circle by Maltby. Leclaire denied his first attempt, but Cleary slipped his own rebound past the netminder at 8:40, giving Detroit a 3-1 advantage and stretching his goal-scoring streak to three games.

"Clears has been excellent for us," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "The thing I liked about (his second goal) was, he went to the net and he stayed at the net. He's got two in a row like that. He didn't fly by. Lots of guys fly by and wonder why they didn't score a goal. That's how you score."

"I thought we didn't clear the puck," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "That happened a lot. Every time we didn't get it out, it ended up in our net. That third goal was a killer. They're a skilled and tenacious team. That's the kind of team we've got to try to be like."

Zetterberg, the league's leading scorer with 26 points, waited until the final moments of the game to extend his career-high points streak to 16. After a power play had ended, the Red Wings kept the puck in the offensive zone and it made its way to Zetterberg, who faked a slap shot from the right circle and put a wrister between Leclaire's pads with 88 seconds remaining in the third for his 13th of the season.

"I was kind of late there this time," Zetterberg said of the timing of his goal. "But it's another game. ... Even if I wouldn't have scored, it would have been a great run anyway. It will end sometime. I've just got to try to keep going and keep going."

Zetterberg is as surprised as anyone with early outburst of goals.

"Of course I didn't expect that coming into this season, but I play with good players and good things happen out there," he said. "I just try to keep it going and win some hockey games."

Making his first appearance since October 24 due to a hip injury, Hasek made 15 saves for the Red Wings, who went 2-for-6 on the power play.

"They're a team that no matter how much skill they have, they work hard," Blue Jackets captain Adam Foote said.

David Vyborny picked up an assist for Columbus, which has lost three of its last four games.