Federov recovers to help Red Wings swamp Blues

DETROIT -- Sergei Fedorov scored three goals for the sixth time in his career to lead the Detroit Red Wings to their eighth straight win, a 7-2 victory over the Blues on Friday night.

Fedorov, who had missed the previous two games because of a sore back, recorded his sixth career hat trick and second of the season. He also had an assist for Detroit, which is 11-0-0-1 in their last 12 and increased its lead to four points over St. Louis in the Central Division.

Henrik Zetterberg added two goals, Tomas Holmstrom had a goal and an assist, Darren McCarty scored a goal and Nicklas Lidstrom recorded four assists for the Red Wings.

Shjon Podein and Pavol Demitra scored for the Blues.

Fedorov gave Detroit a 2-0 lead with two goals in the first period. His first came just 45 seconds in when he beat Curtis Sanford on a breakaway.

His second goal came with just 2:29 left in the period when his slap shot from the left circle beat Sanford between the pads.

Fedorov, who has 27 goals, got his third goal on the power play when he stuffed in his own rebound 4:42 into the second period and just 7 seconds after Keith Tkachuk went off for interference.

Fedorov's first hat trick this season came on Oct. 25, against Edmonton.

Sanford was replaced by Fred Brathwaite in the St. Louis goal after that goal.

Holmstrom scored a power-play goal with 1:49 left in the second period, and McCarty got his goal 1:26 into the third period. Zetterberg scored twice in the third period.

Podein spoiled Joseph's bid for a shutout with seven minutes left.

Noteworthy

Tkachuk and C Doug Weight returned for St. Louis. Tkachuk was suspended four games for crosschecking Minnesota's Wes Walz, and Weight had missed 10 games with a broken upper jaw bone.

St. Louis D Al MacInnis played in his 1,400th career game.