Detroit, MI – Jimmy Howard made 15 of his 36 saves in the third period to backstop the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche.
Paul Stastny denied Howard's shutout bid, taking PA Parenteau's behind-the-net pass and scoring on his own rebound with 1:30 remaining and veteran goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere pulled for an extra skater.
The Avalanche came close to striking again with Giguere on the bench, but the Red Wings held on for their fourth win in six games.
"We have to get better for sure," said Detroit head coach Mike Babcock. "This was too loose of a game for us and if we want to win on a nightly basis we have to do better in front of our goalie."
Giguere, playing a couple of days following his mother's funeral in Montreal, finished with 31 saves.
The setback extended Colorado's skid away from home to 0-3-3.
"If you're going to win a game that you think you should have won you have to take it for what it is," said Stastny. "A loss is a loss at the end of the day."
Detroit held a 12-11 shot advantage in a scoreless, but entertaining first period.
Johan Franzen put the Red Wings on the board seven minutes into the middle stanza. Franzen blocked a shot in the defensive zone, leading to a breakaway goal.
Niklas Kronwall was credited with Detroit's second goal later in the frame. The defenseman's point shot sailed wide of the net, but the carom off the lively end boards was directed in by Giguere with 2:28 remaining.
Game Notes
Colorado forward Milan Hejduk missed the game with a torso injury ... There were three total penalties called in the game, two on the Avalanche 57 seconds apart in the third period.
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