Red Wings continue to collect points, earn Sunday off

What does 10 straight games with points get a team?

A bonus off day, and within seven points of the hottest team in the Eastern Conference.

The Detroit Red Wings got an unscheduled break Sunday after extending their point streak Saturday by rallying to beat Nashville in overtime. They next play Tuesday at Washington, then return home Thursday to host the Canadiens, who top the East at 41 points. As of Sunday, general manager Ken Holland told the Free Press there are no plans to call up anyone, as there are 12 forwards available.

The Wings improved to 7-0-3 in their last 10 on the strength of beating the Predators, 5-4. That was just the latest example of what the Wings have been doing right the past three weeks.

Brad Richards followed Darren Helm and Drew Miller (since lost to a fractured jaw) in scoring his first goal of the season (one that counts for his stats, anyway; Richards was the only player to score in the shoot-out that settled Tuesday's game against Buffalo). Every forward who has played regularly now has a goal.

The power play has helped build a three-game winning streak. The best punishment for a cheap shot happened in the third period of Saturday's game, when Ryan Ellis sent Helm into the boards. There was 2:39 left in regulation, and the Predators had the lead. The Wings made it 4-4 in 16 seconds.

Saturday wasn't Petr Mrazek's finest outing, but everyone has an off night here and there. It was thanks to him the Wings won when they played the Capitals on Nov. 10, when Mrazek delivered 38 saves in a shutout.

That night, the Wings only reached 27 shots on net. That's another area that has factored into this streak — the Wings are succeeding in "delivering the puck" to the net, as coach Jeff Blashill calls it. They've topped 30 shots on net seven times in the past 10 games, and twice gone into the mid-40s. They only reached 30 once their first 17 games.

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Check out our new Red Wings Xtra app on Apple and Android!