DETROIT -- Several Detroit Red Wings are headed to Vancouver to represent their country at the Winter Olympics. Others are traveling to various warmer climates for a much-needed respite.

All of them head into the two-week Olympic break on a positive note. They snapped a four-game winless streak (0-2-2) and cooled off one of the hottest teams in the NHL Saturday night, defeating the Ottawa Senators 4-1 at Joe Louis Arena.

Kirk Maltby, Pavel Datsyuk, Dan Cleary and Johan Franzen (empty net) scored for the Red Wings, who converted twice on the power play.

Jimmy Howard, making his 23rd start in the past 25 games, stopped 29 shots to raise his record to 21-13-8.

“I thought it was important to get the two points. Where we’re at in the standings, we’re in desperate need of points,” Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. “The other night against the Sharks (3-2 shootout loss Thursday), we came out with the same effort tonight. We got two goals early and controlled the game from there. I’m very happy with our effort.”

Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom left the game late in the first period when his left knee injury flared up. The club had no update on his status after the game. He could be forced to withdraw from the Swedish Olympic team, which would open up a spot for Franzen.

“I’m hoping he’s going to recover and play for Sweden,” coach Mike Babcock said. “He’d be a huge part of their team. He’s a huge part of our team just with his emotion and net-front presence.”

Detroit played the final two periods with only 10 forwards, as Valtteri Filppula missed the game due to a groin injury. Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg were double-shifted and defenseman Derek Meech played forward.

The Senators had won 13 of their past 14 games.

“Realistically, we played well enough to win our last two games,” forward Kris Draper said. “This is what we need, this is how we have to play. And if we can do that we’re going to find ourselves right in the mix in the playoff race.”

Ottawa cut Detroit’s lead to 2-1 on Peter Regin’s goal at 8:13 of the second period. Regin crashed the net and knocked in the rebound after Howard’s save on Alexei Kovalev.

The Red Wings responded with a power-play goal from Cleary at 11:09. He banged in Todd Bertuzzi’s pass through the crease for his 13th goal.

The Red Wings jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Maltby and Datsyuk.

Maltby scored at 9:33, firing in a backhand shot after Meech jarred the puck free from Brian Elliott, who had made a save on Brad Stuart’s shot from the point. Draper made it possible by winning an offensive-zone faceoff.

It potentially was Maltby’s final game of the season, perhaps his last game as a Red Wing. He has been bothered by a chronic shoulder injury and is contemplating season-ending surgery after the Olympic break.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t think about a little bit,” Maltby said. “But it doesn’t change the way I prepare. You got to stay focused and do what you’re supposed to do.”

It was Maltby’s first goal since Oct. 31, his fourth of the season. He had gone 42 games without a point.

“He wasn’t sure coming to the rink this morning what was going to happen. He goes out and get the all-important first goal,” Draper said. “Everyone in here knows what Malts brings to the team. He’s a great teammate. He’s going to go out and play hard and frustrate the other team and he’s going to be a great penalty-killer. He was able to do that and score tonight.”

Datsyuk made it 2-0 at 16:33, on the power play. Standing by the side of the net, he redirected a pass from Lidstrom. Zetterberg set up the play by stealing the puck from Milan Michalek just inside the blue line. Michalek made a bad decision to bring the puck back into his own zone when he had a chance to fire it down the ice.

“He looked like he had the puck on a string,” Lidstrom said of Datsyuk. “He’s deking guys and skating strong.”

Olympians honored

The Red Wings’ Olympians were honored during a pre-game ceremony. They have four players representing Sweden (Lidstrom, Zetterberg, Holmstrom and Niklas Kronwall) and one each on Team USA (Brian Rafalski), Russia (Datsyuk) and Finland (Filppula).

In addition, Babcock is the head coach for Canada, whose executive director, Red Wings vice president Steve Yzerman, already is in Vancouver.

“Good win tonight to go into the break and get ready for the stretch drive,” Maltby said.