Despite 41 shots, Ducks fall to Red Wings, 4-0

Detroit had the Ducks’ number Friday, but it happens.

After their 4-0 loss to the Red Wings at the Honda Center, the Ducks are 0-3 against Detroit already this season and 17-39-11 against them all-time — including a loss in the first game in franchise history way back in 1993. (It’s worth remembering the Ducks beat the Red Wings in the playoffs on the way to the 2007 Stanley Cup championship, of course.)

This time, the Ducks outshot Detroit, 41-29, but it didn’t show in the score. Nor did they get much help from the stands, where many among the crowd of 15,173 were wearing red.

“I think we threw everything at the net,” the Ducks’ Bobby Ryan said. “But again, they’re a team, they don’t need many chances. You give them four or five and they’re going to put three or four of them in.”

Ryan said the Ducks “couldn’t fault the effort,” and Coach Randy Carlyle agreed.

“I would say if we play as hard as we did tonight every game this year we’ll be all right,” Carlyle said.

Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard made 41 saves to improve his record to 15-2-2 with his second shutout of the season, both against the Ducks.

“I thought our goalie was pretty good,” Detroit Coach Mike Babcock said.

The Ducks were without Teemu Selanne, who sat out again because of the sore groin that cost him three games in late November. Selanne had played the last two games, but he said he slightly reinjured his groin and he’s “got to be smart.” As for whether he will play Sunday against Phoenix, he said, “Let’s see.”

Matt Beleskey, called up from minor-league Syracuse with Aaron Voros out sick, took Selanne’s place.

The Red Wings broke through for an early goal 1:09 into the game after an uncharacteristic turnover by defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky. Valtteri Filppula tried to get the puck to Johan Franzen, who took it after it caromed off the boards and put it past Jonas Hiller, who said he never saw the puck.

“We weren’t sharp enough the first couple of minutes,” Hiller said, adding that “kind of a bad turnover led to the whole thing.”

The Ducks outplayed the Red Wings for stretches but couldn’t get on the board.

“The puck bounced on us tonight,” said Corey Perry, who had a breakaway but was hounded by Nicklas Lidstrom. “Just one of those nights where it didn’t go our way.”

Detroit took control of the game with two goals in the final six minutes of the second period. Tomas Holmstrom was in his familiar spot in front of the net to put back the rebound of a shot Hiller didn’t control, giving the Red Wings a 2-0 lead at 14:02.

“The guy got inside me on the second goal,” said Perry, who was caught behind Holmstrom.

With 1:34 left in the period, Danny Cleary stood in front of the net and deflected Brian Rafalski’s shot for his 12th goal after the Ducks failed to control the puck and it bounced to Rafalski on the right point.

With that, the outcome seemed clear: The Red Wings entered the game 9-0-1 when leading after two periods. They added a final goal by Filppula with 31 seconds left.

“I mean, it’s Detroit,” Perry said. “They’re the best team in our conference for a reason.”

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