DETROIT -- Joe Louis Arena was a tough place to play for a visiting team on Wednesday, just like it used to be.

And the Detroit Red Wings were a difficult team to play against, just like they hope to be throughout the playoffs.

The Red Wings needed a period to find their playoff legs and regain their composure and discipline. They got it in gear in the second period, scoring three unanswered goals, and went on to defeat the Coyotes 4-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals before a raucous crowd.

"We were a little bit tentative. We didn’t help ourselves a lot when we took those penalties," Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk said. "(But) it’s hard to feel panic when you have the whole building cheering for you. We just keep going, keep rolling. Thanks to fans. Good support."

Datsyuk stepped up in the absence of injured fellow star Henrik Zetterberg. His goal triggered the second-period rally. He finished with eight shots on goal and played strong defensively against Phoenix’s top line led by Shane Doan.

The Red Wings also got goals from a player who slumped late in the season (Johan Franzen) and a player who struggled most of the season (Jiri Hudler). They got an emotional boost from a fight by Todd Bertuzzi.

The Coyotes failed to score on five power plays in the first 27 minutes of the game, including a two-man advantage for 1:30 in the first period. They finished 0-for-6 with the extra man and registered only three shots.

RED WINGS 4, COYOTES 2

Key play:

Trailing 1-0 midway through the first period, the Red Wings killed off a five-on-three power play that lasted 1:30, limiting Phoenix to just one shot.

Hero:

Johan Franzen, who has a history of stepping up big in the playoffs, delivered again. He assisted on Pavel Datsyuk’s tying goal and then snapped a tie at 12:02 of the second period, giving his team the lead for good.

Goat:

Ed Jovanovski, his team trailing 2-1, took a hooking penalty on Tomas Holmstrom, leading to Brian Rafalski’s power-play goal.

Analysis:

It was vital for the Red Wings to get off to a good start in the series without leading scorer Henrik Zetterberg. Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov is capable of stealing games, but he also has a tendency to allow some soft back-breaking goals.

"Obviously, the standard they set for the playoffs is way different than the regular season, as far as your stick," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "If we’re going back to the standard it was three years ago, then those are penalties for sure. They warned us, and we didn’t adjust and we took the penalties."

Fortunately, their penalty killing, which was mediocre during the season, stepped up big. Goaltender Jimmy Howard, though not tested much during the PK, did his part by making 26 saves.

"The guys did a tremendous job in front of me, blocking shots, getting their sticks in lanes, being desperate," Howard said. "It was hard work, guys gave up their body tonight. When guys are going down, getting in the way and deflecting shots, it’s great for the goalie."

The Red Wings established home-ice advantage, something they had been lacking since December (11-13-4 in their final 28 games at the Joe).

The Red Wings took control of the game in the second period, outshooting Phoenix 17-8.

Datsyuk tied it at 7:38 on a wraparound shot. Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov lost sight of the puck and was slow to get his right pad across.

"That’s going to be even more important to get those miles out of Pav, and that he be the offensive threat that he is," Lidstrom said.

Babcock said Zetterberg (left knee) won’t practice Thursday and remains questionable for Game 2 on Saturday.

The Coyotes got sloppy and Franzen made them pay by picking off an errant pass in the neutral zone and whipping a hard wrist shot that caromed in off the inside of the goal post at 12:02.

"That was a rocket," Babcock said. "There aren’t many guys in the league that can shoot like that. If he keeps feeling it, it would be a good thing. With him getting a goal and Pav getting a goal, that’s important."

Said Franzen: "I got the puck in the middle, was waiting for (Tomas Holmstrom) to clear the zone. I slowed down a little bit ... used the (defenseman) as a screen."

Franzen, who has a history of stepping up big in the playoffs, has at least one point in 13 consecutive postseason games. He had scored only two goals in his final 27 regular season games.

Detroit made the Coyotes pay for a bad penalty by Ed Jovanovski when Rafalski blasted in a one-timer on a pass from Valtteri Filppula on the power play at 18:16.

Hudler made it 4-1 at 3:16 of the third period, taking a pass from Drew Miller, skating down the left wing and firing a wrist shot over Bryzgalov’s glove.

"He’s got that shot that can beat goalies, especially his wrist shot," Lidstrom said. "He jumped on that puck and made a really great shot to pick that corner. He’s that sniper who can score goals like that."

Radim Vrbata cut Detroit’s lead to 4-2 at 7:38. Phoenix had another power play shortly after but didn’t pose much of a threat as the Red Wings shut them down.

"We just needed better execution early on, especially in the first period," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "Once they got the momentum in the second period, we couldn’t get it back."

The Coyotes struck early, as Kyle Turris opened the scoring at 2:16 of the first period.

After Datsyuk scored, Bertuzzi fought Rostislav Klesla, firing up the crowd that began chanting "Todd Bertuzzi!" Detroit scored two goals shortly after and took control of the game.