Red Wings top Devils for third straight win

DETROIT -- Justin Abdelkader scored shorthanded to break a tie in the third period, and the Detroit Red Wings won 4-3 against the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday.

The Red Wings scored all four goals on special teams, two on the power play and two on the penalty kill. The Devils scored twice on the power play.
"You don't want to give up two on the penalty kill, but it helps when you get two on your kills as well," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "I thought we had a good special-teams plan on both ends of the ice, and we did a nice job of executing it."
WATCH: [All Devils vs. Red Wings highlights]
Martin Frk, Michael Rasmussen and Trevor Daley also scored for the Red Wings (4-7-2), who have won three straight games after losing nine of their first 10. Jimmy Howard made 25 saves.
"Our team is really starting to play really well in the offensive zone, and that's a lot more fun and a lot easier for me," Howard said. "You can see our confidence growing, and that's something we need to keep going with a lot of home games coming up."
Marcus Johansson had a goal and an assist, and Travis Zajac and Nico Hischier each had two assists for the Devils (5-4-1), who have lost five of six and are 0-3-0 on the road.
"We've still got 38 more road games to play, so we better figure this out," forward Kyle Palmieri said. "Everyone on the team has to start bringing energy in every building, not just the Prudential Center."
New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider made 27 saves in his first start of the season. He missed the first eight games after offseason hip surgery before relieving Keith Kinkaid in an 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
"It felt good to be back out there, but there was definitely some rust that I need to knock off," Schneider said. "My rebound control isn't where I need it to be, and I gave up a goal under my arm."

Dylan Larkin had two assists for the Red Wings. He has seven points (two goals, five assists) during the three-game winning streak.
"We've got Dylan playing against some of the best lines in the game, and he loves that challenge," Blashill said. "It has brought out some of his best hockey."
Frk gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead at 7:54 of the first period when he one-timed Mike Green's pass under Schneider's blocker for a power-play goal.
"I'm supposed to be our most important penalty-killer, and I let us down there," Schneider said. "It was a hard shot that got on me in a hurry, but I thought I should have gotten to it."
Blake Coleman tied it 1-1 at 14:12 of the second period, snapping Zajac's pass under the crossbar.
The Devils took a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at 3:20 of the third period when defenseman Sami Vatanen's wrist shot through traffic beat Howard for his first goal of the season.

Rasmussen scored to tie the game 2-2 at 4:59. Schneider stopped Gustav Nyquist's initial shot on the power play, but Rasmussen tapped in the rebound for his second NHL goal after getting his first in a 5-3 win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
"I thought [Rasmussen] has been much better in the last few games, and he's been rewarded with a couple goals," Blashill said.
Abdelkader gave the Red Wings a 3-2 lead at 12:50, knocking in the rebound of a Luke Glendening shot after a Devils turnover.
"You can always create momentum on special teams, whether it is scoring a goal or killing a penalty," Abdelkader said. "Right now, we're just trying to do everything right."
Howard slid across the crease to stop Palmieri's one-timer with 1:08 to play, and Daley scored shorthanded into an empty net to make it 4-2 with 43 seconds left.
Johansson scored with four seconds remaining for the 4-3 final score.

They said it

"Confidence comes from playing the right way. You can't install it in anyone, they have to earn it. When we decide to play the right way and get more competitive, that's when confidence comes in." -- Devils coach John Hynes
"We're doing more and more good things out there, and guys are hanging on to the puck in the offensive zone. We have to win these games, and (goalie) Jimmy [Howard] gives us a chance every time." -- Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall

Need to know

Schneider is 0-11-2 in his past 14 regular-season games. His last win came Dec. 27, 2017, against the Red Wings. … Detroit hadn't scored multiple power-play and shorthanded goals in the same game since a 7-0 win against the Colorado Avalanche on March 22, 1996.

What's next

Devils: At the New York Islanders on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, MSG, NHL.TV)
Red Wings: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SN, FS-D, NHL.TV)