DETROIT – After setting the NHL record for consecutive home wins, the Detroit Red Wings seem determined to put it well out of reach for future generations.

Joey MacDonald was solid again, making 31 saves, as the Red Wings defeated their nemesis San Jose Sharks 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena, extending their home winning streak to 23 games and their overall win streak to six games.

Henrik Zetterberg, Drew Miller and Darren Helm scored for the Red Wings, who snapped a five-game regular-season losing streak against the Sharks, the team that has eliminated them from the second round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.

MacDonald has won six games in a row, allowing only 10 goals in the process. He is 6-1-1 since stepping in for an ineffective Ty Conklin at the start of the second period Feb. 4, in a 4-3 shootout loss at Edmonton.

It might have been MacDonald's last start for a while. Jimmy Howard, out since Feb. 2 with a broken right index finger, is expected to start Tuesday's game in Chicago, coach Mike Babcock said on Saturday.

MacDonald, however, clearly has emerged as the club's back-up goalie and might remain on the roster to spell Howard from time to time.

The Red Wings might place Conklin on waivers Monday at noon. If they do, he likely would clear and be sent down to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Red Wings weathered the storm in the second period and regained their energy in the third. Clinging to a one-goal lead, Helm gave his team some breathing room by blasting in a shot from the slot past Antti Niemi at 7:01. It came off a rush, as he took a pass from Miller.

It proved to be a critical goal, as Patrick Marleau scored with 4:44 remaining to cut Detroit's lead to 3-2.

San Jose pulled Niemi for the extra attacker with 1:15 left, but the Red Wings held on.

The Sharks, buoyed by three power plays, were on offense for much of the second period, outshooting the Red Wings 19-8.

The teams traded goals. Detroit was fortunate that MacDonald made several big stops to prevent San Jose from taking the lead.

Miller made it 2-0 at 10:40, eight seconds after his team killed a penalty. He drove to the net and knocked in the rebound of a shot by Justin Abdelkader, after Brent Burns missed a clearing attempt.

Miller has 12 goals, two more than his career high. He has five goals in the past 10 games, after going 17 games without a goal.

San Jose answered with a power-play goal from Logan Couture at 14:33.

It happened during a wild scramble around the net, and it took several minutes before it was upheld by video review. The Red Wings argued that Joe Thornton, from behind the net, knocked in the puck with a high stick. Replays showed it went in off Abdelkader's stick.

Zetterberg opened the scoring at 6:30, with the only goal of the first period, his 13th of the season. He has four goals and seven assists in the past eight games, after picking up only one point (an assist) in his previous six games.