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Datsyuk, Red Wings cruise past Blues

Dec 24, 2008 - 5:42 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Pavel Datsyuk scored two goals and set up another as the Detroit Red Wings cruised to their third straight win, a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.

Ty Conklin made 33 saves and captain Nicklas Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom also tallied for the Red Wings, who have won eight of their last 10 contests.

"We feel it's Christmas time coming and everybody is ready to celebrate," Datsyuk said. "We're happy today. We scored the first couple goals. We're thinking about Christmas. It's a good thing."

"It always helps to get a lead," Conklin said. "You can play a little more loose and relaxed, especially when we carried that lead late into the game."

Rookie Patrik Berglund netted his 12th goal of the season and former Red Wing Manny Legace turned aside 37 shots for the Blues, who have lost seven of their last eight games and own the worst record in the Western Conference.

"I thought we were star struck a little bit and the goalie has got to keep it close and weather the storm and I didn't do it," Legace said. "I didn't bring my A game, I brought my B game."

Datsyuk opened the scoring on a power play at 5:03 of the first period, firing a wrist shot past a screened Legace.

"He's (Datsyuk) been playing great," said Holmstrom, who provided the screen. "Everything he's doing out there, he's holding on to the puck, he's making good decisions. He's shooting the puck more, too, and it's paying off for sure."

Detroit used another power play to double its lead as Lidstrom notched his 10th goal of the season with 9:39 left in the opening session. Lidstrom also picked up an assist on Datsyuk's first goal of the night.

Holmstrom extended the advantage to 3-0 with 6:59 remaining in the second, deflecting blue-liner Brad Stuart's shot past Legace.

Datsyuk, who has 12 points over his five-game points streak, provided a commanding 4-0 edge with a shorthanded goal less than 2 1/2 minutes later. It was Datsyuk's first shorthanded goal of the season and fifth career.

"You could see it when he was a rookie and I was here, the way he thinks the game," Legace said of Datsyuk. "It was hard to get him to shoot the puck, but now he's got confidence."

Bergland ended Conklin's shutout bid 74 seconds into the third period. Conklin, who rotates with Chris Osgood at the position, was making his third straight start.