Zidlicky's OT Goal Gives Red Wings 2-1 Win Over Rangers
DETROIT (AP) - Marek Zidlicky's power-play goal 1:09 into overtime lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.
Zidlicky, making his Red Wings debut after being acquired at the NHL trade deadline from New Jersey, punched the puck past goalie Cam Talbot in a scrum to give the Red Wings their second straight win.
Justin Abdelkader also scored, and Henrik Zetterberg added two assists, and Jimmy Howard made 39 saves for Detroit.
Talbot made 29 saves for the Rangers, whose lone goal was scored by defenseman Dan Girardi.
The Red Wings played the final 46 seconds of regulation on a power play after Derek Stepan held Gustav Nyquist. The advantage carried into overtime, and Zidlicky cashed in on Detroit's third shot.
Detroit took a 1-0 lead 6:12 in when Abdelkader punched in a rebound of Zetterberg's shot. The play began when Jonathan Ericsson intercepted a clearing attempt in the New York zone.
Girardi tied it with 2:58 left in the first during a power play when he redirected a puck that bounced off Red Wings defenseman Kyle Quincey's skate.
The Rangers sent 16 shots at Howard in the second period, but the game remained tied. Their best scoring chance came 6 minutes in when defenseman Marc Staal found himself alone in front of Howard, but his wrist shot struck a goal post and bounced away.
Nyquist later missed on a breakaway and then sent a centering pass near the net early in the third period, but Stephen Weiss couldn't finish.
New York nearly got scored a lucky goal late in regulation when a shot bounced back over Howard's shoulder. The goalie knocked it out of harm's way with his blocker.
The Red Wings played their first home game since Feb. 16 after wrapping up a six-game trip with a win Saturday at Nashville - giving them nine points while away.
The Rangers topped Nashville 4-1 at home on Monday.
Forward Erik Cole also made his Red Wings debut. Detroit sent two prospects and a draft pick to Dallas for Cole and got Zidlicky from New Jersey for a conditional draft pick.
NOTES: Zetterberg returned after missing four games due to a head injury. Quincey returned after missing five because of a sore ankle. ... Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist missed his 15 game with a neck injury. ... The Red Wings were without forwards Johan Franzen (concussion) and Darren Helm (oblique).
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