Pulkkinen scores game victor against Blues

Petr Mrazek, G, Detroit Red Wings: Mrazek had a good night in goal as well, logging 35 saves on 37 shots while the Red Wings hung on for a 3-2 win against the Kings at Joe Louis Arena.

“I think goal scorers like to score, so in that sense you feed off of it”, Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. Over the last few games I think we’ve scored better.

“I think Richy and Pav both can score, but they’re both elite passers of the puck”. “It’s good to help the team”. Rules in that situation put another skater on the ice, and with the Red Wings outnumbering the Blues 4-on-3, Teemu Pulkkinen buried a slap shot with 19 seconds left for a 4-3 victory. “Obviously he smelled a little blood there on the goal that he scored where he crouched down near the net and was able to get the rebound”. “I just tried to find the open spot and Richards made me a nice pass so I tried to shoot”. Allen thought the Blues were actually lucky to come away with one point, tying the score on right winger Vladimir Tarasenko’s goal with 2:10 remaining in the third period to send the game to overtime.

“Petr was huge for us tonight, ” Zetterberg said. Glendening went to the front of the net without the puck, and when it arrived, he out maneuvered defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and managed to get off a shot off and beat Allen. There was just four minutes left in the period and St. Louis completely turned the tide of the game. “We mustered a point out of it which is very positive”. The Blues, who have lost four of their last six games, were playing their fourth game in a span of six nights. Tarasenko has six of those in his last six games. “There are other teams in the same boat as us and you can see their play is not great either”.

At 8:42 of the second, Dylan Larkin restored Detroit’s lead when a Zetterberg shot deflected off his arm and in to make it 3-2. “A lot of opportunities, more than usual”. “That’s my game, I try to shoot it when I have a chance”. He really probably could have had three. The game went to a three-on-three overtime and Detroit went on a power play when defenseman Colton Parayko was called for interference with 1:56 left in OT.

“I’m sure he had more (goals) in the four games”, Larkin said. He has 26 goals in his career in 66 games against the Blues. Except for the Islanders, the Blues were the best team in the National Hockey League, 27 games over.500. Though he is likely to start, the Red Wings will move him up to the first line giving another setup its chance against the Blues.

The Kings outshot the Red Wings 37-29.

Detroit has hit 12 unders in 16 games this season. The Blues reassigned F Jeremy Welsh to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on Saturday.

With a full contingent of 23 players on the roster and Ferraro (lower body injury) about to be activated from the injured list, the Wings had nowhere to put him.

The Red Wings are now off until Wednesday when they host the Boston Bruins.