Datsyuk scores twice as Red Wings beat Flyers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Pavel Datsyuk celebrated his return to the lineup with two goals, and the Detroit Red Wings continued their home dominance over the Philadelphia Flyers thanks to a 5-2 decision at Joe Louis Arena.
Stephen Weiss added a goal and assist for the Red Wings, winners in five of their last seven.
Tomas Jurco and Henrik Zetterberg also lit the lamp. Darren Helm picked up a pair of assists to back a 22-save effort by Jimmy Howard.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek tallied for the Flyers, who have lost six of seven since a three-game win streak.
Steve Mason took the loss, charged with three goals on 14 shots over 31-plus minutes. Ray Emery subbed for the remainder of the game and made nine stops.
"It's pretty easy to see things slipping away, to see points that are up for grabs and other teams are grabbing them and you're not and you're falling behind," said Mason.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Giroux recorded his first even-strength goal of the season on a rising wrister from the left wing off a neutral-zone turnover to tie the game at 2:31 of the second.
Things turned decidedly in the direction of the hosts from there, however.
Jurco pumped home a rebound with 9:42 left in the period and the Wings regained a 2-1 lead, and Detroit was up by two just five seconds into a Voracek holding minor when Datsyuk -- who had been out since Nov. 16 with a nagging groin injury -- threaded the needle on a shot from below the left circle at 11:47.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was 4-1 for the hosts with 1:21 left before the second intermission as Datsyuk popped a bouncing puck past Emery from the left side.
"We stuck with it ... and had a good second period like the last game," said Weiss. "The second period's been setting us up nicely."
Voracek slipped a shot through a sliding Wings defender and a diving Howard at the start of a power-play chance and the Flyers were back to 4-2 at 12:25 of the third.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Emery was pulled for an extra skater but Zetterberg hit the empty net to seal the outcome with 1:22 to play.
Detroit hit the scoreboard just after the midway point of the first period, as Helm's shot through a screen from the right circle deflected off Weiss and got by Mason.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Datsyuk recorded his second multi-goal effort in just 11 games this year, and first since Oct. 31 against the Kings ... The Red Wings have won three of their last four home dates with the Flyers and improved to 17-3-2 in Detroit against Philly since November of 1988 ... Philadelphia forward Michael Raffl returned after an eight-game absence due to a foot injury from blocking a shot on Nov. 4 ... Flyers defenseman Michael Del Zotto was a minus-3 with one shot on goal in 22:07 of ice time.