Datsyuk-Zetterberg tandem drives Wings' victory

Detroit — Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg enjoy being linemates and history has shown the two usually produce goals.

Back together Monday, the duo struck for two quick third-period goals as the Red Wings defeated the Florida Panthers 3-0.

Datsyuk scored his seventh  (power play) and eighth goals of the season — Zetterberg assisting on both — as the Red Wings earned two crucial points in the standings with their second consecutive win on a five-game homestand.

BOX SCORE: Red Wings 3, Panthers 0

“We’ve played on the same team for many years and basically seven years since we really played with each other for a full season (as linemates),” Zetterberg said. “It’s fun when we get the chance to play with each other.”

Datsyuk and Zetterberg were reunited Saturday and both feel they can be more effective given time with each other.

“It’s only one game,” Datsyuk said. “I hope we just keep going and going and find some chemistry together.”

Tomas Tatar broke a scoreless tie with his 16th goal, at 4:19 of the third period, triggering the Red Wings offensive explosion.

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Tatar scored a goal for the second consecutive game — after a seven-game drought —  deflecting a shot from Jakub Kindl past former Michigan goalie Al Montoya.

Datsyuk then wristed a shot from the circle that beat Montoya, who was screened by Justin Abdelkader, giving the Red Wings a two-goal cushion.

Zetterberg fed Datsyuk on a 2-on-1 rush at 12:34 — and only 1:08 after Datsyuk’s first goal — to make it a three-goal lead.

The goals were enough for goaltender Petr Mrazek, who stopped 23 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and 20th victory (20-10-4).

“It’s always a little tougher when you don’t face many shots,” said Mrazek, who only faced four in the first period. “But you have to be focused and do your best out there and try to get the saves.”

The victory moved the Red Wings (27-18-8, 62 points) back into a tie with Tampa Bay and Boston and only six points behind Florida (31-16-6, 68 points), who everyone is chasing in the Atlantic Division.

“We talked about doing a better job at home in terms of results and playing a team in our division that we’re chasing,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “It’s a big game. They’re a real good hockey team and from a process standpoint you had to play real good in order to have a chance to win and we did.

“There were real positives from our end.”

The Red Wings' penalty kill, a problem area in recent games, was superb Monday. Detroit killed all five Florida power plays.

“Our PK was great,” Blashill said. “Our special teams have taken hits recently, and not saying that’s wrong, but this was a special teams win. You have to kill penalties and we did and scored a power-play goal.”

Florida lost the services of star forward Aleksander Barkov in the second period after Abdelkader leveled Barkov with a high hit to the head area that’ll likely be reviewed by the NHL.

Barkov was on his hands and knees briefly before skating to the bench. But Barkov went to the locker room shortly after and didn’t return. The Panthers announced between periods he wouldn’t return because of an “upper-body” injury.

“From my vantage point, watching it live and on replay, it was a totally clean hit,” Blashill said. “My understanding of the rule is he hit right through the body and I thought it was a totally clean hit, just a good hockey hit.”

The Panthers were vocal about Abdelkader’s hit being a cheap shot, but Abdelkader defended himself against the charge.

“I’m not trying to hit him in the head or make contact with him that way,” Abdelkader said. “My feet were down and I followed through his body. Sometimes those hits can change momentum. Hopefully, he’s all right.

“I’m the type of player that’s going to go out and play hard and my job is to go out and finish checks. I don’t think I’m a cheap player or make cheap shots. I don’t think I was coming to hit with elbows or arms up. I was coming to finish his body. His head was a little low, I guess, but at the same time I finished through his body.”

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

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