GLENDALE, Ariz., April 24 (UPI) -- Tomas Holmstrom put Detroit in front midway through the third period Friday and the Red Wings dominated the final stanza to defeat Phoenix 4-1.
Detroit took a 3-2 advantage in the Western Conference quarterfinals and will have a chance to end the series at home on Sunday. This is the first time the Red Wings have been ahead in the series.
The teams battled to a 1-1 deadlock through two periods, but Holmstrom gave the Red Wings the lead on a wrist shot with 8:51 to play.
Pavel Datsyuk scored 1:09 later and Henrik Zetterberg produced an empty-net goal with 56 seconds remaining.
Jimmy Howard stopped 27 shots and allowed only a second-period goal to Ed Jovanovski. Ilya Bryzgalov made 23 saves for the Coyotes.
Phoenix is in the playoffs for the first time in eight years and is trying to win its first post-season series since 1987, when the team was located in Winnipeg.
The Coyotes suffered their second home loss in the series after losing in regulation only 10 times during all of the regular season.
