Red Wings 6, Predators 2

WINGS CORNER

Post-Game Interviews Three Questions Photos Wallpaper

DETROIT (AP) -Just in case anyone needed a reminder, the Detroit Red Wings showed why they've got the NHL's top power play.

They scored five - count 'em - power play goals Wednesday night in a 6-2 win over the Nashville Predators to snap a two-game losing streak.

"If they get two power-play goals a game against us they usually win," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "They get five, they always win."

Nicklas Lidstrom and Johan Franzen each had two goals and an assist and Henrik Zetterberg and Jiri Hudler added a goal and as assist each. Ty Conklin made 23 saves.

"We've got some guys who can make plays and tonight we got some room," said defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who had two assists.

Steve Sullivan scored his first two goals in two years to account for Nashville's offense. Dan Ellis stopped 35 shots.

The Red Wings, who score 28.1 percent of the time on the power play, did their damage with the extra man in only 7:02 time on six power plays.

"They definitely confused us tonight," Nashville defenseman Greg Zanon said.

Lidstrom's first goal gave Detroit a 3-1 lead with 9:59 left in the second period. He scored on a slap shot from the left point.

Sullivan's second goal brought the Predators back to within 3-2 when he backhanded in a rebound.

Franzen restored the Red Wings' two-goal lead, flipping a backhand shot past Ellis from in front of the net after controlling the puck and making a move.

It was his first game back after sitting out five with a bruised hand.

"It's always good to get back. It's painful sitting on the side watching, especially we started to play a lot better lately, over the last 10 games," Franzen said. "It's good to get back, and our power play is playing good."

Lidstrom got his second goal 1:08 into the third period, also on the power play, on a one-timer from the right face-off dot. Franzen got his second of the night - both on the power play - with 4:22 left.

Detroit led 2-1 after the first period.

Hudler opened the scoring with a power-play goal five minutes into the game as he reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career. Hudler beat Ellis with a backhand shot from the slot.

Zetterberg made it 2-0 at 8:26 with another power-play goal when he put in his own rebound for his 21st goal.

Sullivan's power-play goal put Nashville on the board with just 6 seconds left in the opening period. His shot from the point went in off of Pavel Datsyuk's stick and Andreas Lilja's leg.

It was going to take

"I can't recall that (five power-play goals). It's great to see the offense clicking, especially we had the power play going," Lidstrom said. "I thought we had great puck movement out there and a lot of motion, too. It's tough to defend when we can do those things together."

Notes: It was Sullivan's first goal since coming back from a back injury, which had sidelined him since February, 2007. He returned on Jan. 10. ... They last scored five power-play goals on Dec. 9, 2006. ... It was Mike Babcock's 200th win as Detroit's coach. Only Jack Adams, Scotty Bowman, Sid Abel and Tommy Ivan have reached that with the Wings. ... Nashville's J.P. Dumont left the game with a little over five minutes left. Trotz said Dumont got crosschecked in the back and had a stinger but shouldn't miss any games.