Bertuzzi spins a win

Red Wings 3 Coyotes 2 (SO)

The Wings are on a five game winning streak which has vaulted them into first place in the NHL with 63 points, one ahead of the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks. The Wings, with victories over Dallas and Phoenix, evened their road record to 13-13 on the season.

Bertuzzi and White tallied for Detroit in a victory over Phoenix (Getty Images)

Detroit went the first half of the season with only one game needing to be decided by a shootout, a 3-2 win over Boston on November 25.

In the last 5 games, including both games of the road trip to Dallas and Phoenix, Detroit has had three games go to the skills competition. Detroit is a perfect 4-0 in shootouts this year, and oddly all four of those games finished with a score of 3-2.

Raffi Torres put Phoenix up early in the first, but goals from Ian White, Todd Bertuzzi and Gilbert Brule tied things up through two periods.

After a scoreless third and overtime, Phoenix opted to go first in the shootout.

Captain Shane Doan was stuffed by the right pad of Jimmy Howard, giving Pavel Datsyuk an opportunity to put the Wings ahead.

He made his patented deke, where he seems to glide off to the right side of the net before roofing it over the goalie. But…somehow…he didn’t score. I’ve seen Datsyuk make that move a handful of times in my life, but I’ve never seen a goalie come up with the save, let alone a monster glove stop like Smith did.

Radim Vrbata and Jiri Hudler were both stopped on their shooting attempts, and Gilbert Brule lost the handle on his deke, giving Bertuzzi a chance to win the game.

Just as Datsyuk pulled out the move he is best known for, Bertuzzi went into spin-o-rama mode to net the game-winner. Click the link to watch the video again. And again.

Bertuzzi Spin-o-rama

The Off Wing View’s Three Stars

3. Mike Smith

2. Todd Bertuzzi

1. Jimmy Howard