Brunner, Andersson, Zetterberg and Kronwall lead Red Wings past Canucks 8-3

Enlarge Image

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler (23), of Sweden, tries to block a shot by Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk (13), of Russia, in the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

DETROIT - Less than 30 hours after being burdened with a five-game losing skid, the Detroit Red Wings are suddenly headed in the other direction.

Damien Brunner had two goals and two assists, and Joakim Andersson scored twice for the Red Wings in an 8-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

The Red Wings ended their losing streak with a 4-0 win over Nashville on Saturday night and then followed it up with a rout of the Canucks.

"This was a tough game. You're playing at 5:00 after playing a 7:00 the night before," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "It's one on your schedule you look at, you don't know if you'll have an opportunity to win. We feel real fortunate to have gotten back-to-back wins."

Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall had a goal and two assists each, Daniel Cleary added a goal and an assist, and Jordin Tootoo also scored for Detroit, which netted three power-play goals in the second period to take the lead.

"Of course the team that didn't play the night before had more energy. It's natural, but you've just got to keep it simple and not get caught out there for a long time," Zetterberg, the Red Wings captain, said. "We did that today and we got some goals on the power play, and that helps."

Pavel Datsyuk and Jonathan Ericsson added two assists, and Jimmy Howard made 18 saves.

Daniel Sedin had two goals, and Chris Higgins also had a goal for Vancouver. Henrik Sedin had two assists, and Roberto Luongo stopped 20 shots but lost in regulation for the first time this season.

"It's one of those games where it felt like the puck was finding its way in on almost every shot," Luongo said.

Cleary tied it 3-3 at 2:57 of the second period when he tipped the puck in during a goal-mouth scramble for his fourth goal. Zetterberg's sixth gave the Red Wings the lead with 4:50 left in the second as he worked a give-and go play with Datsyuk.

Brunner made it 5-3 when he calmly gathered the puck and then flipped in a rebound with 42 seconds remaining.

The Red Wings, who entered ranked 26th in the NHL on the power play, held the Canucks to only three shots in the second period.

"It was nice to get a few goals. I thought the power play worked pretty good," Kronwall said. "It hasn't really changed too much to be honest with you. We just stuck with our game plan."

Brunner added his second goal of the game and 10th of the season in the third before Andersson scored twice.

Daniel Sedin's first of the game gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead 5:45 in. He put in a one-timed shot from in front off a pass from his brother, Henrik, who was behind the net.

Tootoo tied it with 8:52 left in the first when his bad-angle shot from the right-wing boards went in off of defenceman Kevin Ballard.

The Red Wings went ahead just 1:29 later when Kronwall's slap shot went in off the stick of defenceman Dan Hamhuis for Kronwall's third of the season and second in two games.

Daniel Sedin's second goal, with 3:42 left in the first, tied it at 2. He again teamed with Henrik, who made a perfect dump-in that caromed off the boards in the left corner of the Detroit zone to Daniel, who was cutting in off left wing. He picked up the puck and beat Howard for his seventh goal.

Higgins capitalized on Justin Abdelkader's turnover to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead with 1:34 left in the first.

"Up 3-2 after the first period. After that it went sideways," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said.

NOTES: Detroit G Jonas Gustavsson wasn't available because of a sore groin. Thomas McCollum was called up from Grand Rapids of the AHL to back up Howard. ... Vancouver D Kevin Bieksa didn't play because of a groin injury. LW David Booth sat out because of an illness. ... Red Wings D Kyle Quincey (sore left ankle) missed his second game.