Red Wings end skid on Howard shutout

Detroit Red Wings center Tomas Tatar (21) is congratulated by right wing Patrick Eaves after scoring during the second period against the Predators.

DETROIT — Jimmy Howard made 33 saves for his first shutout of the season, and Drew Miller scored an early goal as the Detroit Red Wings snapped a season-high, five-game losing streak with a 4-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

Three of the losses in the Red Wings' skid came after they led 2-0. Tomas Tatar gave Detroit a two-goal lead early in the second, and Niklas Kronwall made it a three-goal cushion late in the period.

Pekka Rinne gave up those three goals on just 17 shots and finished with 23 saves for the Predators. Nashville, playing on consecutive nights, has lost two straight and four of five.

Detroit didn't waste its first 3-0 lead of the season, but instead added to it with Daniel Cleary's goal on a power play midway through the third period.

The Predators had won seven of eight games against Detroit, including last year's first-round playoff series.

Miller scored off a rebound 5:11 into the game to perhaps relax the reeling Red Wings. Tatar lifted a loose puck high and into the net 2:58 into the second period.

Kronwall's one-timer fluttered past Rinne, who had an obstructed view of the shot as Detroit's Daniel Cleary was tangled up with teammate Scott Hannan in front. That gave the Red Wings a 3-0 lead at 15:33 of the second.

The Red Wings didn't need another goal to win, but they were desperate for some success on the power play. They got some when Cleary raised his stick to redirect Kronwall's slap shot.

Detroit had scored only one goal on 17 power plays during its losing streak.

Eruzione jersey gets $660,000 at auction

NEW YORK — The jersey worn by hockey great Mike Eruzione in the U.S. Miracle on Ice victory over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics was auctioned for almost $660,000 on Saturday, though the surprising values of other items like the stick he used to score the winning goal and a jersey he wore in the gold medal game two days later pushed the overall sale to more than $1.3 million.

Spirited bidding drove the value of the hockey stick to $262,900, more than five times the $50,000 it was expected to go for. Gloves he wore throughout the Olympic tournament sold for $53,775, more than 10 times their preauction estimates. The blue jersey the team’s captain wore to win the gold against Finland fetched $286,800. Even his warm-up suit sold for $26,290, while his red pants went for $28,680.

As expected, the No. 21 white jersey worn during the epic come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Soviets scored highest, rising to finish at $657,250 during several rounds of bidding. The outcome in Lake Placid, N.Y., was surprising because the U.S. team was largely made up of amateurs playing against a Soviet team of professionals widely considered unbeatable. The 33rd anniversary of the historic game was Friday.

Eruzione, 58, who attended the auction, sold the Olympic items to benefit his three adult children and a grandson, along with the Winthrop Foundation.