Red Wings 3, Devils 1
Darren Helm scored a pair of goals as Detroit maintained its home domination of New Jersey.
Captain Henrik Zetterberg netted the tiebreaking goal with 5:01 to play in the third period as the Red Wings beat the Devils in Detroit for the 12th time in their last 13 meetings. Gustav Nyquist and Johan Franzen each recorded two assists while Jimmy Howard turned aside 12 shots for the Red Wings, who won for only the third time in 10 games (3-3-4).
Rookie Joe Whitney scored his first NHL goal for New Jersey, which has lost nine of 11 (2-6-3). Cory Schneider made 25 saves in the loss.
Although Detroit controlled most of the opening period, the Devils struck first when Whitney, in his second game of the season and third career, beat Howard to the glove side from the right faceoff circle with 4:23 left in the second. Helm notched the equalizer less than 2 1/2 minutes later on a wraparound that deflected off the skate of New Jersey's Steve Bernier.
The Red Wings finally forged ahead when Zetterberg deflected a fluttering shot from the blue line by defenseman Niklas Kronwall. Helm clinched it with an insurance tally 36 seconds later.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Helm halted his 10-game goalless drought, a span in which he managed only two points. ... Devils C Tim Sestito, recalled from the minors on Saturday, earned his first point of the season with an assist on Whitney's goal. ... Bernier had to be helped off the ice with 4:54 to play after crashing hard into the glass on an attempted check.