Red Wings defeat Devils in overtime

NEWARK, N.J. -- Defenseman Mike Green scored with 1:42 remaining in overtime and the Detroit Red Wings overcame the loss of goaltender Jimmy Howard to injury in a 5-4 win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Friday.
Green took a pass from Frans Nielsen in the right circle and used Devils defenseman Andy Greene as a screen before beating goaltender Cory Schneider to the far side.

"I just saw Nielsen] had a little bit of time there and he made a great play," Green said. "I just had to get around [Greene] in close and just had to hit the net to try and create something. It was a great play by [Nielsen and Anthony Mantha**
Howard left the game 7:31 into the first with a lower-body injury after making two saves on three shots. He is expected to miss at least one week, according to coach Jeff Blashill. Blashill said Howard was injured after getting his skate caught in the ice. Petr Mrazek (5-5-1) made 13 saves on 16 shots in relief.
John Moore, Michael Cammalleri, Pavel Zacha and Adam Henrique scored and Schneider made 28 saves for the Devils (10-6-4). New Jersey remains undefeated in regulation on home ice this season (7-0-2).
"It's important that we get back to our foundation of playing hard and playing with speed," Greene said. "We've been kind of lacking in our defensive zone lately and that's our foundation. We have to get back to it right now."
The Devils have allowed 20 goals in the past five games (1-3-1).

Mantha scored 43 seconds into the third to give the Red Wings a 4-3 lead. Henrique tied the game on a deflection in front at 14:49 on a delayed penalty call and the Devils working a 6-on-5 advantage.
Larkin scored with 1.2 seconds remaining in the second to give the Red Wings a 3-3 tie.
The Devils scored two goals on 10 shots against Mrazek in the second to take a 3-2 lead. Cammalleri scored at 4:06 to tie the game 2-2. Zacha scored a power-play goal, his first goal in 11 games, from the left circle at 5:56.
Nielsen scored twice in the first when the Red Wings took a 2-1 lead. His first goal came shorthanded on a snap shot from the slot to tie the game 1-1 at 7:23. He then scored on a tip-in at the left post at 10:41.
The Devils took a 1-0 lead at 6:01 when Moore scored on a shot from the left circle that beat Howard to the short side.

Goal of the game

Mantha scored his second of the season off a tremendous snap shot from the left circle that beat Schneider over his left shoulder.

Save of the game

Red Wings left wing Justin Abdelkader made a kick save on an attempt by center Travis Zajac with 1:28 remaining in the second to keep Detroit within 3-2. Larkin tied the game 1:27 later.

Highlight of the game

Nielsen's shorthanded goal during a four-minute power play for the Devils came after Abdelkader stole the puck from defenseman Damon Severson in the New Jersey end. Abdelkader's initial shot was stopped, but the rebound came to Nielsen with Schneider down and out of position.

Unsung moment of the game

The Red Wings did a superb job on the penalty kill in the first when Riley Sheahan was penalized four minutes for high sticking Devante Smith-Pelly at 6:28. The Red Wings not only limited the Devils to two shots, but scored once on two shots.

They said it

"I think we played one of our better games. We were getting pucks deep and getting pucks to the net, and I think it showed that we are a top team to play against when we do that and simplify a little bit." -- Red Wings center Frans Nielsen
"It's not so much we are out of structure, it's the decisions we should make not to pinch and when to pinch; little things that have to be tightened up. We have to be stiffer in certain areas, chipping, our line rush against the defense, and our coverage coming into our defensive zone." -- Devils coachs John Hynes

Need to know

Devils left wing Taylor Hall, expected to miss another 2-3 weeks after having surgery on his left knee Nov. 16, skated on his own Friday morning. ... Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid will start at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. ... Mrazek was making his first appearance since allowing four goals on 22 shots in a 4-3 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 15

<>What's next

<>Red Wings: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SN, TVA Sports, FS-D, NHL.TV) Devils: At the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; ROOT, MSG+, NHL.TV)Video: Red Wings get past Devils on Green's overtime goal