NHL: Detroit 6, Vancouver 5

DETROIT, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Daniel Cleary scored the third of three Detroit goals in the first 6:08 of the third period Thursday and the Red Wings fought off Vancouver 6-5.

Cleary's second goal of the game gave Detroit a 6-3 lead, but the Red Wings still had to sweat out a win.

Chris Osgood allowed five goals on 25 shots, including late tallies by Henrik Sedin and Alexandre Burrows that brought the Canucks within one.

Burrows scored with 1:25 to play, but Osgood finally shut the door to bring the Red Wings their third win in four games. The defending Stanley Cup champions are in front of the Central Division by 10 points over Chicago.

Jiri Hudler also scored twice for Detroit, Nicklas Lidstrom had a goal and two assists and Derek Meech recorded his first NHL goal.

With the game tied at 3-3 going into the third, Meech scored on a wraparound shot 3:23 into the period. Lidstrom tallied 50 seconds later and Cleary then produced a power-play goal at 6:08 for a three-goal lead that turned out to be just enough.