Helm’s 2nd goal gives Red Wings 3-2 victory over Canadiens

A pair of third-period goals just over a minute apart from Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm saw the Detroit Red Wings secure an important win over the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League on Thursday.

Tonight, the Red Wings play at New Jersey.

Right winger Kyle Palmeri scored on a breakaway with 39.3 seconds left in overtime to lift the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night at the Prudential Center.

Each team had 10 shots in the scoreless opening period, with each also having a great opportunity on the power play.

The Devils played without their top two centres, ex-Spitfire Adam Henrique and Travis Zajac. “Playing well and winning breeds confidence, but we have to be careful”. The Red Wings have been playing very well over the last two weeks and coupled with Montreal’s tail spin the Wings have made up some serious ground and still have a game in hand as we approach the 30 game mark.

Helm had the Red Wings up midway through the second period but a quick reply from Sven Andrighetto brought the game back to 1-1.

Detroit first came close to cashing in when Dylan Larkin rang a shot off the post from the left circle. The move allowed the Devils to activate RW Jiri Tlusty from IR. Tlusty was sidelined with a right shoulder injury and has not played since November 20 in Edmonton. They earned a second power play when Jonathan Ericsson drew a tripping call, and needed just 11 seconds for Nyquist to send the puck glove side on a shot Schneider saw coming.

John Moore picked up the puck in his own end, wove through the Detroit defenders to break in on Howard who got a piece of the shot as it deflected off the post. Rasmus Ristolainen had three goals for Buffalo, all in the third period.

NOTES: With Henrique (lower body injury) and Zajac (upper body) out of the lineup, the Devils recalled Joseph Blandisi from Albany (AHL) for his National Hockey League debut….

“It’s tough for any team to lose their first two centermen”, Devils goalie Cory Schneider told nj.com. The Devils placed RW Bobby Farhnam (upper body) on injured reserve retroactive to his last game on Tuesday night in Toronto. LW Stefan Matteau and D Jon Merill were healthy scratches….