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Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk is knocked to the ice by Nashville's Paul Gaustad.

(The Associated Press)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jimmy Howard returned to the Detroit Red Wings net Monday, looking like someone who could have used a few more days to rest his ailing knee.

Howard was not sharp after missing three weeks with a sprained left MCL. He allowed three goals in the first 25 minutes on routine-looking shots in a 6-4 loss to the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Justin Abdelkader, Pavel Datsyuk, Drew Miller and Patrick Eaves scored for the Red Wings in their final game of 2013, their last contest before Wednesday’s Winter Classic against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium.

Red Wings forward Daniel Alfredsson was a late scratch due to an upper-body injury. He is listed as day-to-day.

This game marked the halfway point of the season for the Red Wings, who are 18-14-9 (45 points).

Howard hadn’t played since a 3-2 shootout loss at Florida on Dec. 10. He injured his knee in practice the next day.

Trailing 3-1 after 40 minutes, the Red Wings tried to battle back in the third period, but trading goals wasn’t going to get the job done.

The Red Wings needed to strike fast in the third and Datsyuk did just that, scoring his team-leading 15th goal at the 35-second mark. It was a one-timer past goalie Marek Mazanec from along the half-wall on a pass from Niklas Kronwall.

The Red Wings gained some momentum, but Mike Fisher curtailed it at 5:50 by banging in a pass from Colin Wilson, following a turnover by Brendan Smith.

Miller scored at 11:30, driving to the net and managing to knock in a loose puck following a shot by Kyle Quincey.

The Predators answered fast as Wilson notched his second goal of the game at 12:07, a backhand shot that deflected off Howard’s glove into the net to make it 5-3.

But the Red Wings wouldn’t go away, as Eaves scored a power-play goal with 5:08 remaining to make it a one-goal game again.

However, Roman Josi sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 19 seconds remaining.

Nashville swept the two-game season series from the Red Wings.

Nashville scored the only goal of the second period when Nick Spaling beat Howard with a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle off a rush at 4:24.

The Predators welcomed back Howard by scoring twice in the first three minutes of the game.

Wilson beat Howard with a wrist shot from the high slot that might have been slightly deflected off a stick at 1:54.

Abdelkader responded at the three-minute mark with his fourth goal of the season. He made a strong move to the net and roofed in a backhand shot.

But the Predators gained a lead they would not relinquish when Craig Smith fired in a wrist shot at 9:50 to make it 2-1.