Red Wings beat Blues in OT after blowing 3-0 lead

ST. LOUIS – Darren Helm scored at 1:51 of overtime to give the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night

Jimmy Howard stopped 26 shots in his return after missing two games because of a bruised right kneecap, and Patrick Eaves, Todd Bertuzzi and Jakub Kindl — with his first NHL goal — scored in regulation for Detroit. The Red Wings blew a three-goal lead before rebounding to end a three-game road losing streak.

T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and David Backes scored for St. Louis. The Blues have lost seven of their last nine games.

Helm scored his fifth goal of the season and his first winner.

Backes tied it with 5:46 left in regulation, beating Howard from close range.

Oshie cut it to 3-1 midway through the second, and Berglund scored at 6:35 of the third. Oshie returned to the lineup Tuesday night in a victory over Los Angeles after missing 31 games because of a broken ankle.

Kindl gave the Red Wings a 3-0 lead at 9:50 of the second. The 19th overall pick in the 2005 draft, he was appearing in his 22nd NHL game and 19th of the season.

Eaves opened the scoring at 12:25 of the first period with his fourth goal in eight games. Bertuzzi and Kindl scored in a 2:16 span midway through the second period.

NOTES: The Red Wings have won three of four games against the Blues this season. ... Jiri Hudler added three assists for the Red Wings. ... St. Louis center Andy McDonald, sidelined by a concussion since Dec. 4, skated for the first time over the past two days. "There was some progression — each day gets better," McDonald said. ... The Red Wings have been outscored 15-8 in the first period over their last 10 games. ... St. Louis is 10-2-2 with Oshie in the lineup. ... Howard has won his last four starts against St. Louis. ... Detroit is 5-1-1 when Bertuzzi scores. ... The Blues have sold out all 25 home games this season.