Detroit — Sam Gagner didn't score a goal in his first 13 games but made up for lost time Thursday — with a bit of help from Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne.
Gagner scored two seeing-eye goals, then ended things with an empty-net goal, lifting the Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over Nashville — the five goals, a season-high for the offensively-starved Wings.
Gagner scored the tiebreaker — his second goal — midway in the third period. Gagner had the puck between the goal line and circle, went to his forehand and beat Rinne through the legs at 9:58.