Detroit, MI (Sportsbooks) - Marian Hossa's goal early in the third period sent Detroit over Anaheim, 2-1, at Joe Louis Arena.
Johan Franzen provided the other goal for the Red Wings, who have won two of three and improved to 16-4-4 overall on the season. Chris Osgood had an easy night, needing to make only 15 saves for the win.
Detroit sits in first place in the Central Division and climbed within five points of idle, sizzling San Jose for the top spot in the Western Conference.
Chris Kunitz scored for the Ducks, whose four-game win streak was snapped.
Starter Jean-Sebastien Giguere was blitzed for 38 shots through two periods but allowed only one goal before leaving the game due to muscle cramps. Jonas Hiller finished the game by allowing the game-winner on nine shots over the final 20 minutes.
Hossa put Detroit ahead 1:48 into the third by finishing off a 2-on-1 break. Dan Cleary carried the puck down the left wing and dished across to the right side, where the sniper unloaded a slapshot which found space through Hiller.
"Clears had the puck and I just tried to wait for him and I knew it was a matter of time when he was going to make the pass to me," Hossa said of the play. "Basically I just tried to shoot at the net and I think it surprised the goalie by the five-hole."
Although carrying a 38-10 margin in shots through 40 minutes, Detroit buckled down in the third and made the slim lead hold up, limiting the Ducks to six relatively harmless shots on net.
For the second consecutive game, Anaheim struck for the game's first goal inside the two minute mark, as Kunitz scored his fifth of the season at 1:50 on a backhander from the goal line.
Franzen countered for Detroit with 5:34 remaining in the second period.
"We tried to stay patient. We were, I think, all over them and we outshoot them," Hossa noted. "It was just a matter of time. We did lots of more shots. We came back strong performance by everybody, starting with Ozzie. I think that was huge game for us."
Game Notes
The clubs, who met in the 2007 Western Conference finals, have split the last 10 regular-season meetings...Hiller was named the NHL's second star on Monday for last week's 2-0-0 record with one shutout...The Red Wings host Vancouver on Thursday while the Ducks conclude their three-game road trip in Chicago on Wednesday.
