Blues 1, Red Wings 0
DETROIT -- Brian Elliott made 28 saves for his 19th career shutout and Chris Porter scored the game's only goal in the St. Louis Blues' 1-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday at Joe Louis Arena.
The two teams are battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference with nine games remaining for Detroit and 11 for St. Louis, which jumped into sixth place with the win. The Red Wings fell from seventh to eighth. The Blues (21-14-2) have 44 points.
Jimmy Howard stopped 24 shots for Detroit (19-15-5), which had several outstanding chances to tie the score in the third period but were thwarted by Elliott and St. Louis' tenacious defenders.
Porter scored with 3:32 left in the second period, his second goal of the season. He poked a shot past a prone Howard during a goal-mouth scramble.
Elliott used a shoulder save to stop Gustav Nyquist's breakaway attempt with eight minutes left in the second period.
St. Louis' Alexander Steen hit the goal post behind Howard from the left circle 4:24 into the game. The Blues outshot the Red Wings 11-7 in the first period.
NOTEs: Before the game in a press conference on the ice, the NHL officially announced that the Winter Classic outdoor game between the Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs will be Jan. 1, 2014, at 1 p.m. ET at Michigan Stadium. The game originally was scheduled there for Jan. 1, 2013, but was canceled because of the lockout. It was also made official that -- as originally planned -- a second sheet of ice also will be constructed in downtown Detroit at Comerica Park, where two alumni, American Hockey League, college, junior, high school and youth hockey games will be held in the two weeks leading up to New Year's Day. ... It was the 1,000th game for referee Dan O'Halloran, who lives in Brighton, Mich., about 60 miles west of Detroit. He was recognized before the game.
