DETROIT _ The Detroit Red Wings built a lead, something they've been good at doing the past three games.
That they managed to hold onto it during regulation broke a trend, but they prevailed 2-1 over the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena.
Dylan Larkin scored off a turnover in the first period and Frans Nielsen doubled the lead in the second period. Shots after two periods were 21-13 to Anaheim, but Jimmy Howard didn't face many quality chances. He was big in helping the penalty kill, making 12 saves during eight minutes of short-handed play. Howard made 32 saves total.
The Ducks owned the start of the game, neutralizing the Wings on a power play and cycling into Detroit's zone. Howard had made 11 saves after 12 minutes, while John Gibson had turned away two shots. Larkin made good on the Wings' next chance, intercepting Kevin Bieksa's pass down low and whipping a backhand into the net, at 13:32. It was Larkin's first goal in nine games. Shots after the first period were 15-5 to Anaheim.
Anaheim's Nick Ritchie put the puck in Detroit's net at 1:33 of the second period, but video review showed Ritchie interference with Howard and the call on the ice _ no goal _ held. The Wings had better puck possession, but were credited with one shot on goal, from Nick Jensen, halfway through the period. Nielsen made the ninth shot count when he connected on Mike Green's rebound, with five minutes to go in the second period.
After getting dinged for six goals the previous two games, the Wings' penalty killers held the Ducks scoreless through four opportunities. Tyler Bertuzzi was called for tripping at 5:06 of the third period (he was assessed a match penalty Friday that the Islanders scored four power-play goals in five minutes), but the Wings limited the Ducks to one shot during those two minutes. Darren Helm went for slashing at 9:21, and Howard made three saves on that kill.
Larkin was denied on a backhand down low early in the third period and Anthony Mantha also tried to score while around the net. Gustav Nyquist had a nice chance from the bottom of the right circle off a pass from Henrik Zetterberg. Nielsen hit the crossbar off a rush with Helm. Adam Henrique put Anaheim on the board with 3:54 to go in regulation when he got to the puck after Bieksa's initial shot hit Howard. The Wings went on a power play with 2:21 left in regulation.
