Hudler leads Red Wings

Jiri Hudler had a goal and an assist to help the host Detroit Red Wings beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Thursday night.

Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Kopecky and Dan Cleary also scored, and Chris Osgood made 21 saves for the NHL-leading Red Wings, who are 17-6-2.

Brad Richards and Mathieu Darche scored for Tampa Bay, which lost its fifth straight. Marc Denis stopped 35 shots.

Hudler opened the scoring 3:24 into the game with his sixth goal, tipping in a pass from Chris Chelios. The Red Wings outshot the Lightning 17-1 in the first period. Datsyuk's power-play goal 4:04 into the second period made it 2-0. He put a rebound into an open net for his eighth goal of the season and fourth in three games.

Kopecky got his first goal of the season 7:39 into the middle period on a breakaway off the right wing. He made a fake on Denis and but a backhand shot just under the crossbar.

Richards put the Lightning on the board with 7:57 left in the period on a one-time shot from the left circle.

Cleary added his eighth goal 2:05 into the third period when he shot in a rebound from the right circle. Darche scored with 3:06 left.