LOS ANGELES -- Tomas Holmstrom has worked on tipping pucks in front of the net for more than a dozen years after practice. That is why he arguably is the best in the business.

As luck would have it during this amazing, injury-plagued season for the Detroit Red Wings, Holmstrom finally took a shot in the wrong spot after Wednesday's workout at Honda Center in Anaheim.

Now, the offensively challenged Red Wings will be without their leading goal scorer for three to four weeks after Holmstrom sustained a non-displaced fracture in his foot.

It is a tough blow to a team that bolstered its top two lines and its struggling power play with the return of forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Dan Cleary, each out with a separated shoulder, Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings.

"We were excited to get Cleary and Z back; now, it's two in and one out,'' Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "The hard part is it happened after practice.

"It's a fluke injury. He was working on his hand-eye coordination, changing direction of shots. Every day for 10 to 12 years he's done that.''

The club sent Holmstrom home Thursday morning. He will be evaluated further Friday.

“What are you going to do?" Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “You’re allowed to feel sorry for yourself for a second. I actually called my wife, she told me to suck it up. It doesn’t matter what their names are. We just got to find a way to keep grinding out some wins.’’

Holmstrom, bouncing back from an injury-plagued 2008-09 season and poor playoff performance, leads the team with 15 goals, including seven on power plays. His play earned him a spot on the Swedish Olympic team. He likely will return in time for the Olympics.

While Zetterberg and Cleary will boost a power play that had converted only 2-of-41 opportunities in the past 12 games, it will hurt not having Holmstrom's net-front presence on the top power-play unit. Either Todd Bertuzzi or Cleary will fill that role.

“Tough break for Homer,’’ defenseman Brad Stuart said. “I feel bad for him, but we should be used to it by now. We’ve gone through it a few times.’’

Holmstrom was one of only four Red Wings who had played in all 42 games, along with Nicklas Lidstrom, Brad Stuart and Bertuzzi.

"Obviously, injuries are part of the sport,'' Holland said. "We're getting two important players back. We got to find a way to win games. You think you're gaining ground and you look at the standings and you're losing ground.''

The Red Wings have four other players out with injuries.

Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (bone bruise in knee Dec. 14) has practiced but won't return until next week at the earliest. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall (sprained MCL on Nov. 21) is not skating and is at least a couple weeks from returning.

Right wing Jason Williams (fractured fibula Nov. 7) is skating lightly on his own, so he, too, is at least a couple weeks from returning. Forward Johan Franzen (torn ACL on Oct. 8) is practicing with the team but will not be back until right before or after the Olympic break (Feb. 15-28).

Notable, quotable

Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard sported an ice pack on his left forearm following

The Red Wings have defeated the Kings six consecutive times and are 20-2-0 in their past 22 games against them, 10-1 in their past 11 at the Staples Center.

Babcock said the line of Darren Helm, Kris Draper and Patrick Eaves was “outstanding.’’ He also liked how Justin Abdelkader and Derek Meech played. “I thought Abby was outstanding; Abby and Meech played maybe one of their best games,’’ Babcock said. “Those kids are getting better.’’