Red Wings enter All-Star break with 4-2 win in Brooklyn

By Tyler Barnes –

Two second-period goals from Justin Abdelkader and Danny DeKeyser propelled the Wings to a 4-2 win against the Islanders Monday night in Brooklyn – their final game before the NHL All-Star Game break.

Brad Richards got the Wings on the board at 10:57 of the first period with a power-play marker, and Luke Glendening added an empty-netter to seal the win for Detroit. Petr Mrazek was impressive between the pipes, stopping 27 of 29 New York shots.

The win sends Detroit into the all-star break on a high note, despite dropping 3 of their last 4.

Eric Tangradi made his Red Wings debut after his recent call-up from Grand Rapids – the forward logged 6:55 worth of ice-time on 12 shifts.

The Wings converted their only power play opportunity of the game when Brad Richards buried a bouncing loose puck out front to give Detroit an early lead in the first period. It was Richards’ fifth goal of the season.

The Islanders answered later in the first when John Tavares intercepted a pass in the Red Wings zone and sent a pass to Brock Nelson, who beat Mrazek with a one-timer.

Abdelkader put the Wings back on top at 13:29 of the second after a beautiful 3-on-2 passing play with Larkin and Zetterberg. Zetterberg took a drop pass from Larkin and found a wide-open Abdelkader, who found the back of the net with a one-timer past a sprawling Jaroslav Halak. The goal marked Abdelkader’s 14th of the 2015-16 season.

DeKeyser put the Wings ahead by two just over a minute later after he intercepted a pass in the neutral zone. DeKeyser had his shot blocked, but fired a second attempt on net that beat Halak for his sixth goal of the season.

Detroit gave up a breakaway to Mikhail Grabovski late in the third—he beat Mrazek with a low shot to pull the Isles within two.

Glendening sealed the win for the Wings with an empty-netter, however, at the 19:15 mark of the third period.

Detroit heads into the all-star break ranked second in the Atlantic division, trailing the Florida Panthers by three points.