In Game One of the Western Conference quarterfinals between the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators, it was the Red Wings who came out on top by a 3-1 margin thanks to Henrik Zetterberg's two third period tallies. Detroit now has a 1-0 lead in the series.

Both teams came to play Thursday night, but the Detroit Red Wings were more offensively minded and outshot the Predators 40-20. They also hit the Predators where it hurt the most: on the scoreboard. Detroit took advantage of their high scoring offense and defeated the Predators 3-1.

Nicklas Lidstrom took a hooking penalty 2:11 into the game, but Nashville was only able to fire one shot on Detroit’s Dominik Hasek before Radek Bonk committed a hooking penalty 1:27 after Lidstrom’s penalty. Detroit fired away two shots on Nashville’s Dan Ellis, but came up empty.

Detroit got on the board first when Johan Franzen received a pass from Jiri Hudler and converted a backhander that beat Ellis 5:58 into the period. Niklas Kronwall was credited with the second assist. The Red Wings went into intermission up 1-0 only because of spectacular goaltending by Ellis, who stopped nine of ten shots. On the other end, Hasek stopped all 11 shots faced. Both goalies made diving and sprawling saves on several occasions.

The second period started the same way the first period ended and that was with a lot of physicality. Detroit came close to going up 2-0 when Pavel Datsyuk received a pass from Brian Rafalski and skated in alone on Ellis. Datsyuk attempted to go five-hole, but was stoned by Ellis. Great back-checking by Greg de Vries didn’t allow Datsyuk to attempt a backhand shot.

Greg Zanon fired a shot from the blue line, off a turnover by Chris Chelios, that was deflected off the skate of Jordin Tootoo and beat Hasek five-hole with 2:13 remaining in the second. It was Tootoo's first playoff goal. With the score tied at one heading into the third period, it was time to see which coach could get his team fired up more. Both teams came out exchanging shots and hits; the physical play that had been consistent in the first two periods continued in the third.

The game remained tied until Henrik Zetterberg converted a one-timer pass from Datsyuk and fired a slap shot past Ellis with 13:06 remaining in the third. After taking the lead, Detroit imposed a shutdown defense that took control and allowed only one shot in the final 13:06 of play.

Detroit sealed the victory when Zetterberg added his second goal of the game, an empty net goal, off a face-off win from Kris Draper just outside Nashville’s blue line. Instead of putting Ellis back into the game, coach Barry Trotz kept him on the bench hoping his team would win the face-off. Fans threw a squid onto the ice, which is a tradition in Detroit.

Even though Detroit won, the Nashville Predators should be proud of their effort. Dan Ellis kept the Predators in the game and faced twice as many shots as his team put on Hasek; Hasek stopped 19 of 20 shots. Nashville and Detroit were a combined 0-4 on the power-play.

Game 2 is Saturday in Detroit at 2 pm ET.