Detroit, MI – Todd Bertuzzi scored twice in his first game of the season, while Pavel Datsyuk added a goal and two assists as the Detroit Red Wings posted a 5-3 decision over the Minnesota Wild at Joe Louis Arena.
Henrik Zetterberg and Damien Brunner also lit the lamp for the Red Wings, who had dropped two of three to begin the season.
"We just needed a win, man," Bertuzzi said. "We need wins. I don't think it's anything other than that."
Jimmy Howard stopped 23-of-26 shots for the win.
Zach Parise posted a pair of goals for the Wild, who have lost two in a row. Josh Harding was tagged for all five scores on 27 shots.
"They're just a great organization. I have a lot of respect for them," Parise said of the Red Wings. "They do things the right way. They play the game the right way."
Datsyuk worked his magic before five minutes elapsed in the third period, lifting a centering pass over a pair of Wild defenders on the left wing for an easy-tap in by Bertuzzi on the right wing for a 5-2 Detroit advantage.
Parise beat Howard on the backhand with 9:42 left in the third period but that was as close a comeback as the visitors could muster.
Following a scoreless first period, the Wings exploded for a pair of goals 42 seconds apart in the opening minute of the second.
Brunner beat Harding on a power play at the 13-second mark with a top-shelf wrister from the right circle, and Bertuzzi added his first of the season at 55 seconds thanks to a knuckling backhander from Valtteri Filppula which caromed in off his knee.
Parise's 5-on-3 power-play marker with 2:49 gone pulled the visitors within a goal, then Gilbert tied the game at 6:29 with a drive from the inner arc of the lower right circle.
Datsyuk helped break the deadlock when his backhanded cross-ice pass found Zetterberg for a score at 12:56, then put the Wings up by a 4-2 count with a man-advantage tally at 17:24.
Game Notes
Detroit has won six of the last nine meetings with Minnesota ... Bertuzzi notched his first multi-goal effort since Feb. 4, 2012 against Chicago ... Datsyuk's last three-point game occurred on Jan. 16, 2012 against Buffalo when he netted three assists ... Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall recorded three helpers ... Parise leads the Wild with six points and is tied with Dany Heatley for the club lead in goals with three.
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