Red Wings 3, Coyotes 1
Tomas Tatar scored a goal and set up two others as visiting Detroit posted its ninth victory in 10 games.
Darren Helm recorded a tally and an assist while Riley Sheahan also scored for the Red Wings, who improved to 2-0-0 on their three-game road trip and 11-2-0 in their last 13 overall contests. Petr Mrazek made 22 saves in his 10th straight start, coming within 1:54 of his second consecutive shutout.
All-Star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson netted the late goal for the Coyotes, who had their three-game point streak snapped. Mike Smith played well in defeat, turning aside 23 shots - including all 11 he faced in the opening period.
Neither team was able to break through over the first 28 minutes of the contest, but Detroit took advantage of a power-play opportunity in the second period to get on the board. After Tatar denied a clearing attempt at the point, Pavel Datsyuk sent the puck from the left-wing boards to Sheahan, who one-timed it past Smith from the top of the right faceoff circle at 8:11 for a 1-0 edge.
Mrazek kept alive his bid for a second straight shutout by denying Martin Erat on a penalty shot with 8:22 remaining in the third, and Tatar beat Smith to the glove side on a short breakaway with three minutes left to double Detroit's lead. Ekman-Larsson spoiled Mrazek's chance with 1:54 to play, but Helm sealed the win 38 seconds later by scoring into an empty net while lying on the ice after being tripped from behind.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The penalty shot was the third in the career of Erat, who has converted just once. He received the opportunity after being taken down from behind during a breakaway by the Detroit duo of Datsyuk and D Danny DeKeyser. ... Ekman-Larsson's goal was his career-high 16th of the season, which leads the Coyotes - as well as all NHL blue-liners. ... Detroit's top-ranked power play went 1-for-6.