Detroit closes out 1st half of season with 5-4 SO win vs. Wild

**Admin** Wed Jan 21, 2015 3:03 am

Gustav Nyqust and Pavel Datsyuk scored in the shootout as the Detroit Red Wings battled back to defeat the Minnesota Wild, 5-4, after Minnesota rallied from three goals down in the 3rd period. Detroit won for only the second time in nine shootouts this season. Nyquist also scored in regulation, despite the Red Wings blowing a 4-1 lead in the 3rd period.

Teemu Pulkkinen, Jonathan Ericsson, and Xavier Ouellet all scored for Detroit in regulation and backup goaltender Petr Mrazek, who is filling in for Jimmy Howard due to groin injury, made 34 saves. Howard is the only Red Wing this season named to the All-Star team, but will not be available this weekend to participate.

With the 1st half of their season in the record books, Detroit sits in 2nd place in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conferece with 63 points (27-11-9), just one point behind Tampa Bay (64). If the playoffs were to begin today, the Red Wings would be seeded 3rd and would have home ice advantage in the 1st round against 4th-seed Montreal.

After the All-Star break this weekend in Columbus, Detroit will head to the sunshine state for a 2-game road trip, starting with Florida next Tuesday night (1/27) at 7:30 pm.