Jimmy Howard Makes 46 Saves In Red Wings’ 4-2 Win Over Predators

Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Jimmy Howard stopped 46 shots for the win, his 19th of the season. as Detroit doubled up Nashville, 4-2, at Joe Louis Arena.

Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg each posted a goal and one assist, while Drew Miller and Jason Williams also lit the lamp for the Red Wings, who had dropped six of their last seven games.

Francis Bouillon and Shea Weber scored for the Predators, who lost for the fifth game in a row. Dan Ellis was tagged for all four goals on 29 shots in defeat.

Weber’s prayer from the boards along the right point cut the Preds’ deficit to 3-2 at the 5:57 mark of the third, but Detroit regained its two-goal edge when Zetterberg scored from behind the goal line to the left of Ellis with 9:48 to play.

Pavel Datsyuk had dumped the puck in along the left boards hoping for his linemate, and Zetterberg was able to catch the Nashville netminder out of position for his 13th goal of the season.

The Preds pulled Ellis for an extra skater at the same time Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski was called for interference, but Howard made sure the lead held with several key stops down the stretch.

Williams celebrated his first game back from injury with a tip-in goal for a 1-0 Detroit lead on the power play with 1:33 left in the opening period -- but Bouillon tied the game with 23.2 seconds left.

Lidstrom put the Wings back on top 5:55 into the second and Miller made it a two-goal Wings edge on a diving tip in the crease at 8:57.

Nashville unloaded 20 shots on net in the middle 20 minutes but Howard was equal to the task.

Howard, who was Detroit’s 64th overall pick in 2003, played for the University of Maine. His career high in shots stopped in one start came on January 7 in Los Angeles, when he made 51 saves for a 2-1 victory...Prior to the game, the Red Wings activated Williams from injured reserve and assigned forward Justin Abdelkader to Grand Rapids of the AHL.