The Detroit Red Wings couldn't overcome a poor start on Sunday and fell 3-2 to the Nashville Predators in Game 3 of the first round. A Henrik Zetterberg goal with just 53.1 seconds remaining offered hope for a late Red Wings comeback, but it was not to be.
Detroit, trailing 2-1 after two periods, actually outshot the Predators 12-0 during a 12-minute stretch to open the final period, but they could not beat goaltender Pekka Rinne during that stretch. Rinne finished the day with 41 saves on 43 shots and continued his rock-solid series between the pipes.
The game-winner was sent in by Sergei Kostitsyn, who scored his fourth career playoff goal, and his first of 2012, on a wrist shot that beat goalie Jimmy Howard high (video below) on a broken defensive play by the Wings.
Despite the home loss and unfortunate sting of going down 2-1 in the series, the Red Wings played a strong game down the stretch and controlled the puck arguably as well as they have all season. Detroit nearly doubled Nashville's shot attempts, 43-22, and will need to keep peppering shots at the net in order to get the best of Rinne in the next couple games.
The two teams will suit up for Game 4 of the series on Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena.
For more on the Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. For more on the Predators, check out On The Forecheck. For more coverage of the 2012 NHL Playoffs, head over to SB Nation's NHL hub.