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Setoguchi, Sharks extend Red Wings' misery

Mar 1, 2008 - 6:06 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The clear favorites no more, the Detroit Red Wings cannot even win at home.

Devin Setoguchi scored twice and Evgeni Nabokov made 20 saves as the San Jose Sharks handed the Red Wings their fourth straight home loss with a 3-2 triumph on Friday night.

Joe Pavelski also scored and captain Patrick Marleau notched a pair of assists for the Sharks (35-21-8), who remained three points behind the Anaheim Ducks (37-23-7) for fourth place in the crowded Western Conference standings. Anaheim posted a 3-1 victory over Calgary on Friday.

Detroit (42-18-6) appeared to be running away with the conference as recently as February 5, owning a 17-point advantage over the Dallas Stars. But a 1-8-2 record over its last 11 games combined with a hot streak by Dallas (41-22-5) has reduced that lead to just three points.

"As much as the standings create (urgency), that pride creates more," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "This has gone on way too long. We've been right there a number of times over this period of time and haven't found a way to win. We found a way to win games earlier, and now we're not. We have to get back to work, play with energy and play with confidence."

"It's been disappointing after losing so many games in a row," Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek said. "Coming home, you believe you can win, and unfortunately, it didn't happen tonight."

The Red Wings could not catch a break on Setoguchi's second tally, which proved to be the game-winner. The puck appeared to hit the upper mesh behind the net before bouncing back down on the ice.

Setoguchi was in the right place at the right time, grabbing the loose puck as it bounced just to the right of the goalmouth and stuffing it past Hasek's left pad.

"I know it popped up somewhere, didn't know where," Setoguchi said. "The next thing I know, it comes down on my stick and I put it in."

The play was reviewed, but the replay officials upheld the tally, giving San Jose a 3-1 lead at 9:17 of the third period.

"Definitely, it was mistake," Hasek said. "The officials, they should blow the whistle, but no one of the four of them probably saw the puck behind the net - in the net above the glass. I thought it was somewhere back there, but it got back in front of me, and before I could cover the hole by the post, he had scored the goal. I knew 90 percent the puck was dead, but if they didn't see, there's nothing I can do about it."

"Those referees do their job no different than we do, with as much pride as they can," Babcock said. "They missed it."

Babcock also was disappointed with the fact his team did not capitalize on its chances.

"It was a 3-2 hockey game and we had our opportunities, and bottom line is, we made a couple mistakes defensively in our own zone that cost us on the (first) Setoguchi goal and the Pavelski goal," he said. "Those are mistakes that we can't make."

Detroit got back within a goal with 7:07 left, using some crisp passing to exploit a 5-on-3 advantage. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who was appearing in his first game since January 30, sent a pass to Henrik Zetterberg near the end line to the right of the net.

Zetterberg fed Mikael Samuelsson at the top of the right faceoff circle, and the Swedish right wing blasted a shot past Nabokov with Tomas Holmstrom providing a perfect screen in front to cut the deficit to 3-2.

But that was as close as Nabokov allowed the Red Wings to get.

With Detroit playing at Joe Louis Arena for the first time since February 15, San Jose took advantage of the road-weary club with an early goal. Pavelski was left open in the slot as the Sharks caught the Red Wings on a bad line change and wristed a shot past Hasek at 1:40 of the first period.

"We know Detroit is one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the league," San Jose defenseman Craig Rivet said. "We got the first goal and seemed to get the momentum."

The Sharks doubled their lead just 58 seconds into the middle session, when Setoguchi scored his 10th goal of the season on a wrister from the slot off a feed by Marleau.

Hasek, who played for the first time in over two weeks due to a hip flexor injury, made 19 saves.