Datsyuk’s goal lifts Red Wings to OT win in Denver

4/6/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER — Pavel Datsyuk knocked in a rebound at 4:45 of overtime, and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Friday night to hold onto seventh place in the Western Conference.

Datsyuk, who had two goals, ended the game after Henrik Zetterberg put a shot on net that goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere didn't cover. Datsyuk reached out to poke in the puck as defenseman Matt Hunwick was draped all over him.

Jimmy Howard had 32 saves, and Gustav Nyquist had a goal for the Red Wings, who are locked in a tight fight for a playoff spot.

P.A. Parenteau and Mark Olver scored for Colorado, which gave Detroit all it could handle before losing for the 11th time in 13 games.

The rivalry that blossomed between these teams in 1996 has lost steam with Colorado's string of non-playoff seasons. Still, the Red Wings’ presence in Denver always adds a charge even if neither team looks like those that combined to win five Stanley Cup titles from 1996-2002.

The Red Wings came into Friday having lost three of four. They slipped to seventh place, one point ahead of St. Louis, which has played two fewer games. Detroit is a perennial top seed in the postseason but is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990.