Trending: Howard holds off Coyotes until Wings get their bearings

GLENDALE - The Red Wings were expecting a highly motivated Arizona Coyotes team and that's exactly what they got.
Like the Dallas Stars Tuesday, the Coyotes came into Thursday's game at Gila River Arena seeking their first win of the season after starting 0-2-1.

But Jimmy Howard was steady early until the Wings got their bearings.
Then Luke Glendening scored a shorthanded goal at 16:36 of the third on a setup from Dylan Larkin, who used his speed to make the play happen, for the game-winning goal in a 4-2 victory.
Frans Nielsen scored the empty-net goal at 18:26.
1. Martin Frk: Only 10 Wings, including the two goaltenders, went to the team's optional practice Wednesday at the Ice Den in Scottsdale. One of those players was Martin Frk, who spent time at the end of the practice working on his one-timer from the left circle. Frk knows he's got a rocket of a shot but also realizes accuracy is important. With the Wings on the power play, Frk got the puck in his spot and unleashed a shot that Arizona goaltender Louis Domingue could only fan at with his glove. The goal tied the game at 1 at 11:37 of the second. It is Frk's team-leading third goal of the season.

Quotable: "I didn't think I would have three goals in four games. I'm just enjoying every game and I'm trying to help the team win. It was good. I helped the team win with a goal, so let's keep it up and hopefully I can score more." - Frk
Quotable II: "Door opens and he's doing a great job. I told him before the game, it's one thing to score. That's obviously a weapon he brings. But he's doing all the other little things really well. He's making real good plays on the wall. Coming out of his end he's responsible. All the things that give the coach confidence in you. He's doing a great job. He's put lots of work in. He helps our team be better because he's got that dangerous shot." - Wings coach Jeff Blashill
2. Jimmy Howard: Were it not for the early efforts of Jimmy Howard, the Wings might not have had a chance at all. The Coyotes came into the game without a win in their first three games and they spent most of the first period in the Wings' zone. Howard turned aside all 11 shots in the first, helping his team kill off three power plays. Clayton Keller was the only player to solve Howard, beating him on a rebound for a power play goal at 6:12 of the second period and then again at 18:16 of the second. But right before Glendening scored, Howard had a beautiful save on Keller during the Coyotes' power play. Howard finished with 33 saves.
Quotable: "Outstanding, really. (Howard's) been the difference-maker in the games that he's played, with our wins. We got to play a little bit better in front of him, not give up so many chances, but I think as far as tonight, we started off slow and were able to sort of battle and then hold on at the end and push through. We got to be better for Jimmy, for sure." - Mike Green
Quotable II: "They threw it back door and probably fortunate he didn't one-time it, so it gave me a second to get over and I was able to get a pad on it." - Howard on the save on Keller
3. Mike Green: The only question so far this season for Mike Green is whether he gets the first or second assist on the Detroit goal. Green has found a nice chemistry with Frk on the power play, feeding him much as he did with Alex Ovechkin when he was with the Washington Capitals. Green got the only assist on Frk's goal and then got the second assist on captain Henrik Zetterberg's goal at 19:18 of the second period. Larkin had the first assist. That gives Green eight assists for the season in four games. Green also celebrated his 32nd birthday Thursday.
Quotable: "(Green's) a great player. On the power play you can see it. He always finds you. He's got a great eye and also he's got a good shot, too. Today I score when he passed it to me but I bet guys will be standing there more and then he's gotta go and use his shot. But it's going well so far, so let's keep it up." - Frk
Quotable II: "Just taking it day to day right now. I think as a team we are. We're trying to find our ground here and get into a rhythm as a group. Just kind of been lucky here, I guess. It could change very quickly in this league." - Green