Zetterberg propels Detroit over Ducks
Last Updated: Sunday, November 15, 2009 | 2:11 AM ET
The Associated Press
Henrik Zetterberg had three goals and two assists in the Detroit Red Wings' 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night.
The game featured eight goals in a seesaw third period. Anaheim tied the game three times and the Red Wings regained the lead three times.
"It was pretty crazy back and forth," said Zetterberg, who scored all his goals in the third period for his fourth NHL hat trick. "Too much back and forth. But we won the game. That was most important."
It was the first meeting between the teams since Detroit beat Anaheim in a seven-game, second-round playoff series in the spring.
Dan Cleary added a goal and two assists, and Brian Rafalski had a goal and an assist for Detroit. Pavel Datsyuk and Darren Helm also scored, and Jimmy Howard made 19 saves in goal.
"I thought we could have wore that team out. We didn't do that," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We let them back in the game. In the end we found a way to score enough goals to win."
Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and three assists, Corey Perry had a goal and an assist, and Bobby Ryan and Joffrey Lupul also scored for Anaheim. Jonas Hiller made 30 saves.
"We got ourselves back up with them a few times but they kept bumping back up," said Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer.
Zetterberg put Detroit ahead for good with 4:31 left, netting his second of the game. He beat Hiller with a slapshot from the right faceoff dot. Helm added a goal with 2:15 left, and Zetterberg capped his hat trick with an empty-netter.
"He kind of took over," Detroit defenceman Niklas Kronwall said. "He's been playing really strong for us of late and he had some chances early. He stuck with it and he really came through when we needed him the most."
The Ducks capitalized on a turnover by defenceman Jonathan Ericsson to make it 2-1 at 8:12 into in the second period. Ericsson's pass from behind the net was intercepted by Ryan Getzlaf at the goal-line. He then set up Perry in the slot for his 13th goal.
Two power-play goals gave Detroit a 2-0 lead after the first period.
Cleary opened the scoring with 6:28 left in the frame. He deflected in a shot out of the air with the shaft of his stick after Niklas Kronwall's drive from the point went off Anaheim's James Wisniewski. It was Cleary's fourth goal.
Rafalski scored with 44 seconds left in the period on a slap shot from the high slot for his second goal.
