Red Wings top Preds in 5th straight win

Valtteri Filppula scored twice to lead the Detroit Red Wings to their fifth-straight win, 4-1, over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night. Filppula also had an assist on Henrik Zetterberg's goal as Detroit won its league-best ninth game at home. Dan Cleary added his fourth goal of the season early in the third period. Jack Hillen ended Jimmy Howard's bid for his fourth shutout of the season when he scored midway through the third period. Howard ended the night with 18 saves. Pekka Rinne had 33 saves for the Predators, who lost their fourth straight. Filppula opened the scoring late in the first period with a power-play goal. Todd Bertuzzi's shot zipped along the goal line to his teammate, who backhanded it past Rinne. Detroit made it 2-0 less than 2 minutes into the second period when Zetterberg shot into the top of the net past a prone Rinne. It was a three-goal game 7 minutes later when Filppula redirected Jiri Hudler's shot. Hudler initially was given credit for the goal but the scorer awarded it to Filppula after reviewing a replay, which showed the puck bouncing off the stick of Nashville's Craig Smith before Filppula tipped it past Rinne. Howard won his fifth straight and got a hand from defenseman Brad Stuart, who swatted away a shot that got behind the goalie late in the first period. The win came a day after the Red Wings ended Boston's league-best 10-game winning streak. Detroit winger Patrick Eaves was taken off the ice on a stretcher late in the game after he was struck near the right ear by Roman Josi's slap shot. He was conscious and lifted himself onto the cart before leaving the arena. Notes: Filppula has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his last six home games. ... Saturday's game was the second of a five-game road swing for the Predators. ... Eaves was back in the lineup after missing five straight games as a healthy scratch. ... Nashville is 0-5-1 when trailing after the first period.