Flyers fall to Detroit, 4-3

DETROIT - The Flyers tried to protect a special segment in the franchise's history Sunday night.

But despite the first two-goal game of Brayden Schenn's young career, it didn't happen.

The Detroit Red Wings tied an NHL record with their 20th consecutive home win, 4-3, at the reverberating Joe Louis Arena.

They equaled the record shared by the 1975-76 Flyers and 1929-30 Boston Bruins.

Johan Franzen snapped a 3-3 tie just 52 seconds into the third period, taking a touch pass from Nicklas Lidstrom in front and tapping it past Sergei Bobrovsky.

Detroit, which can set the record Tuesday against Dallas, is 23-2-1 at home.

The Flyers lost for the fifth time in their last six games. Bobrovsky has allowed 12 goals in three games since replacing a flu-zapped Ilya Bryzgalov.

For the second straight game, the Flyers lost because of special teams. They allowed two power-play goals Sunday after surrendering three in a 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday.

The Red Wings were 2 for 5 with a man advantage, while the Flyers were 0 for 2. For the weekend, the Flyers were 0 for 6 and their opponents were 5 for 13.

"We played against two good power plays, but we made some mistakes and, obviously, it's costing us," said center Max Talbot, who gave the Flyers a brief 3-2 lead late in the second period with his 14th goal, a new career high. "We played against the top team in the East and the top team in the West, and to give up three and two [power-play] goals, it's frustrating because we know the longer the season goes, the more you need to win the special teams."

Peter Laviolette missed a chance for his 107th win as the Flyers' coach. That victory will tie him with Paul Holmgren for eighth place on the franchise's all-time list. Fred Shero is No. 1 with 398 wins with the Flyers from 1972-78.

Talbot, converting Scott Hartnell's bouncing pass, gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead with 3 minutes, 41 seconds remaining in the second period.

But for the second time, the Flyers' lead was short-lived. Henrik Zetterberg scored on a long drive just 2:02 later.

"If we could have gone in there with the lead at the end of the second period, I think that would have shut the [door]," said Laviolette, whose penalty-killing unit was still on the ice when Detroit scored its game-winner - even-strength - in the final period.

Detroit goalie Joey MacDonald has been stellar while filling in for the injured Jimmy Howard (broken finger), but he made two glaring mistakes in the first two periods - and both led to goals by Schenn, the Flyers' sizzling 20-year-old center.

With the game tied at 1, MacDonald poke-checked a rebound to Schenn in the left circle, and he knocked the puck into the net to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead with 14:38 left in the second period.

It gave Schenn six goals in his last nine games.

About three minutes later, Detroit tied it on Pavel Datsyuk's 15th goal, a power-play score from the left circle.

Since a 4-1 home loss to Calgary on Nov. 3, the Red Wings have been dominant in a city they call Hockeytown. During their 20-game home streak, they have outscored their opponents by 81-30.

MacDonald's turnover enabled Schenn to tie the score at 1 with 3:18 left in the opening period. The goalie went behind the net but flubbed a clearing pass. Danny Briere pounced on the loose puck and fed Schenn, who tapped the puck into an empty net.

Earlier, the Red Wings capitalized while Schenn was in the penalty box for tripping. (Three of the Flyers' six penalties were committed by rookies.) Defenseman Niklas Kronwall scored his 12th goal, firing a point drive past Bobrovsky as Todd Bertuzzi screened the goalie.

Bobrovsky was the surprise starter over Ilya Bryzgalov, who missed the previous two games because of the flu and was Sunday's backup.

"He's still battling it," Laviolette said.