Red Wings shut down Senators

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[February 11, 2016]  DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek didn't get his second consecutive shutout but he got his team a win.

Mrazek made 22 saves and the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-1 on Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena.

Ottawa forward Zack Smith scored with 2:24 left on a power play with goalie Craig Anderson pulled for the 6-on-4 advantage to thwart Mrazek's shutout attempt.

"It would be nice, but we got two points. Huge points for us," said Mrazek. "They were chasing us from the back (of the standings), now the two points gives us (room) now."

Defenseman Danny DeKeyser and forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Darren Helm scored for Detroit.

"I think just the way we play a little simpler than before here at home," Zetterberg said. "We have patience, we trust each other that we're going to get enough chances to win games and not force pucks in the beginning of the game so I think that's one difference."

Smith's goal was his 12th and third in three games. Anderson made 25 saves for Ottawa.

"We let them off the hook in the first period," Senators coach Dave Cameron said. "I'd like to see us get it to the net. We were looking for the Grade A chance."

Defenseman Dion Phaneuf, who was acquired in a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, made his debut with the Senators. He wore No. 2 for Ottawa after previously wearing No. 3. Defenseman Marc Methot has No. 3 for the Senators.

"We weren't able to find a way to get points but the guys have been unbelievable in welcoming me to the team," Phaneuf said.

Helm scored an empty-net goal with 1:11 left.

DeKeyser gave Detroit a 1-0 lead 3:03 into the game. His shot from the inside edge of the left circle deflected off Methot's stick and over Anderson's shoulder. It was DeKeyser's career-high seventh goal of the season.

Zetterberg made it 2-0 at 2:01 of the third period. He put a shot over Anderson's shoulder on the short side from the bottom of the right circle after making a move on Phaneuf. Pavel Datsyuk got the puck to Zetterberg just outside the Senators blue line while lying on the ice along the right-wing boards.

It was Zetterberg's 10th goal.
 
 Mrazek stopped Smith from the top of the left circle as Smith cut in off the left wing 9:01 into the second period.

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The Red Wings killed off successive penalties, including a 27-second 5-on-3 disadvantage, early in the third period.

"They were better on the special teams tonight," Smith said. "They did a good job blocking shots, which is not an easy thing to do."

Detroit neutralized five Ottawa power-play opportunities.

DeKeyser was helped off the ice 45 seconds into the third period after Phaneuf's shot hit him in the right leg. He returned in the middle of the period, took a short shift and returned to the bench. He talked to trainer Piet Van Zant and went to the dressing room.

"It's a bruise is what it looks like. It's a not a break by any means," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "It's a bruise. It was sore. It hit in a spot that's going to be painful. He'll be day to day. We'll see tomorrow where it's at. He just couldn't put enough weight on it to finish the game."

NOTES: Ottawa sent D Jared Cowen, LW Milan Michalek, LW Colin Greening and F prospect Tobias Lindberg along with Ottawa's second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft to Toronto for veteran D Dion Phaneuf and RW Matt Frattin, F Casey Bailey, F Ryan Rupert and D Cody Donaghey on Tuesday. ... Detroit D Mike Green missed his second game with a sore groin. He participated in an optional morning skate on Wednesday and is day to day. The Red Wings were also without D Niklas Kronwall (knee), LW Drew Miller (knee) and RW Johan Franzen (concussion). ... The Senators were missing LW Clarke MacArthur (concussion), D Chris Phillips (cracked vertebra) and LW Dave Dziurzynski (undisclosed). ... Red Wings F Joakim Andersson was a healthy scratch.

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