Fillpula gave Detroit the lead in this one with just over 6 minutes left as Detroit continued their good run on the powerplay. Bertuzzi looked like he had buried the puck into the net from a move close in but somehow he put it across the goal line and off the post. The big forward even thought it had gone in as he raised his arms but Fillpula continued the play and picked up the puck to backhand it into the roof of the net.
The previous 13 minutes had been a tame affair with neither team really creating any outstanding chances. Both teams seemed to be feeling each other out but yet again it was Detroit who had managed to get the first goal of the game to settle themselves down.
This seemed to wake Nashville up as they created their best chance of the game shortly after the Red Wings goal but Brad Stuart somehow managed to clear a puck off the goal line back into the body of Howard as the Predators looked to tie the game back up quickly.
Detroit however continued to dominate possession and went into the 1st intermission with that 1-0 lead, having outshot the Predators 14-3.
Zetterberg had Detroit 2-0 up at the start of the 2nd as he came round the back of the net, looked to shoot on the backhand and take the puck forehand, hold on to it for what seemed an eternity and then shoot it past Rinne who had been fooled by the delay in the shot and was swimming around in the crease.
Detroit took a 3-0 lead with 11 left in the 2nd as Jakub Kindl made a smart play, firing a puck low across the ice towards the front of the net and Hudler tipped it first and then Fillpula as he got his 2nd of the night.
Less than 5 minutes into the 3rd and Detroit had a 4-0 lead as Helm lifted a stick, stole the puck and then made a no look pass to Cleary who wired the puck one time past the glove of Rinne. Nashville got one back quickly as they finally put a puck past Howard. Hillen tipping the puck in off a Wilson feed across the crease at 5.34 of the 3rd.
Detroit had done enough through the opening 2 periods however and Nashville couldn’t get anything else back quick enough to make a final challenge in this one. They had 2 late powerplay chances but even then it was Darren Helm who had the best chance on the shorthand. He couldn’t finish off a move that saw him clear in on Rinne and the score remained 4-1.
With only a couple of minutes left a Josi shot caught Patrick Eaves in the head and the Detroit forward had to be stretchered off the ice. The puck seemed to turn on its end just as the rookie fired it and Eaves could do nothing to get out of them way as he took it at full pace to the side of the head.
Detroit were superb defensively all game, giving up only 19 shots – 8 of the through the first 2 periods. They have a knack of getting themselves into the lead at the minute and very rarely are they allowing teams back at them. This takes their winning streak to 5 games as they remain in hot form.
- Adam Yates
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