DETROIT — Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and an assist, and Jimmy Howard made 29 saves to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Saturday night in the last game before the Olympic break for both teams.
Kirk Maltby, Dan Cleary and Johan Franzen also scored for Detroit, which won for the first time in five games.
Peter Regin scored for Ottawa, and Brian Elliott stopped 36 shots. The Senators lost for only the second time in 15 games.
Detroit right wing Tomas Holmstrom left in the first period , leaving him questionable to play for Sweden in the Olympics.
Holmstrom missed 13 games in January because of a knee injury and returned for three games before sitting out Tuesday night in St. Louis. He returned Thursday night against San Jose, then left Saturday. If he can't play in the Olympics, Holmstrom might be replaced by teammate Franzen, who played his third game following surgery on his left knee.
Regin put Ottawa on the board 8:13 into the second period when he put in a rebound off a goal-mouth scramble for his ninth goal.
Cleary's power-play goal restored the Red Wings' two-goal lead with 8:51 left in the middle period. He converted Todd Bertuzzi's cross-crease pass for his 13th goal.
Franzen added an empty-net goal in the last minute.
Detroit led 2-0 after the first period.
Maltby opened the scoing 9:33 into the game when he backhanded in a rebound for his fourth goal. Datsyuk's power-play goal made it 2-0 with 3:27 left in the opening period. He tipped in Nicklas Lidstrom's slap pass for his 17th goal.
Notes
Detroit C Valtteri Filppula missed the game with a groin injury. Filppula still hopes to play for Finland in the Olympics. … Red Wings D Niklas Kronwall returned after missing four games with a sore knee. He expects to play for Sweden in the Olympics. … Detroit RW Patrick Eaves missed his third game with a sprained ankle. … Red Wings D Andreas Lilja is close to returning after being out since last Feb. 28, with post-concussion syndrome suffered in a fight with Nashville's Shea Weber. Lilja is back from a conditioning stint with the Red Wings' AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids and said he's ready to play. But he first must be cleared by doctors Monday. If he is cleared, Detroit must clear about $700,000 under the salary cap. … The Olympic participants from each team were honored in a ceremony before the game.