'It's playoff hockey for us': Zadina's late goal lifts Wings over Flames

Detroit − Filip Zadina picked a pretty good time to get his first goal of the season.

Playing in his first game since November, after suffering a lower-body injury, Zadina's third-period goal lifted the Red Wings to a 2-1 victory Thursday over Calgary.

Goaltender Ville Husso made 35 saves as the Wings also killed three Flames power plays, including two in the third period, preserving the lead.

But it was Zadina, who returned after a three-month stay on the injured list after blocking a shot, who provided the feel-good story.

"It's been a long time and I've been waiting for the chance to be on the ice with them (teammates)," Zadina said. "I was just going to the game and thinking about playing the right way and trying to do something on the ice.

"I was just happy that I can be part of it and be on the ice."

BOX SCORE: Red Wings 2, Flames 1

Coach Derek Lalonde himself seemed excited after the morning skate about Zadina getting an opportunity to play. Zadina hadn't scored a point in nine games earlier this season, then worked hard to return with a rigorous rehabilitation.

"Real happy for him," Lalonde said. "These guys are pros, but the work to get back with this one was different. Z worked extremely, extremely hard and kept having little setbacks and he got what he deserved tonight. He played well, managed his game, I can't think of one turnover, and he made a play when he had the opportunity which is what you want from a skilled guy.

"It was lifting for our group and I'm real happy for him."

Zadina found himself on a two-on-one rush with Oskar Sundqvist, after a pass from Robert Hagg (who incidentally was playing his first game since Dec. 8 and earned an assist on the goal). Zadina passed to Sundqvist, who hesitated then found a wide open Zadina as goalie Dan Vladar over-committed, Zadina firing into an open net.

"I had two or three options," Zadina said. "I could shoot, pass to Olli (Maatta trailing the play), but I just saw Sunny (Sundqvist) and he was ready for the puck and I passed it to him, he looked like he was going to shoot. But of all sudden the puck came back to me and I had an empty net."

Dylan Larkin (power play) and Calgary's Blake Coleman traded late second-period goals to finally bring offense into what had been a rather drab game.

More:Wings notes: Zadina, Hagg return to lineup after lengthy stays on injured list

Coleman opened the scoring, giving the Flames a lead after Calgary had killed three consecutive Wings power plays including a four-minute variety on Calgary's Nikita Zadorov (high-sticking).

Coleman, battling near the crease, deflected a point shot from Noah Hanifan that eluded Husso for Coleman's 12th goal, at 18:07.

The way the game was going, it seemed like the one goal just might be enough.

But Calgary's Dillon Dube was called for tripping, giving the Wings yet another power play at 18:54.

Larkin finally got the Wings on track with his 16th goal.

David Perron took advantage of room down the middle of the ice, got through the Flames' defense and passed to a streaking Larkin down the wing, who snapped a shot past Vladar at 19:47.

Lalonde felt this victory was more played to the Wings' identity and the way they have to play to be successful.

"That's how it has to look for us to win, and we got it done," Lalonde said. "When we've won, and we've won good games like that, that's how it has looked. Just a more complete game tonight. I'd have to look at the underlying numbers but it felt like one of those with less than 10 chances (allowed), in those single digits, and we've had four or five of those (games).

"It was just a complete game and we got rewarded."

The Wings felt they had played well enough to win Tuesday's game against Edmonton, but let it slip away in a 5-2 loss.

With the Wings' playoff chances slowly slipping away, this was a needed win.

"It's playoff hockey for us (already)," Husso said. "Thirty games left, we still want to make it and it's on us. We need to come in every night and play like that and give ourselves a chance to win."

Husso credited the penalty killing, which was crucial the latter half of the third with two big, timely kills.

"Huge part of the game when the PK is working and guys are blocking shots and being in the lanes, getting the puck out of the zone," Husso said. "All those little things, guys did a great job."

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tkulfan