DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Red Wings have learned the hard way that no lead is safe against the Nashville Predators at Joe Louis Arena.
The Predators overcame another three-goal deficit at Detroit, rallying for a stunning 4-3 victory as Scott Walker scored on the power play with 57 seconds left to cap a four-goal third period.
Last February 4, Nashville roared back for a 5-5 tie at Detroit, erasing a three-goal deficit over the final 30 minutes of regulation.
"We basically did the same thing (as last year)," Walker said. "Let's just go out and play. Sure, they've got great players, but let's go out and get it. ... Sometimes when you're young, it doesn't bother you when you're down 3-0. They say, 'I'm in the NHL, let's just play.'"
In this one, the Red Wings took a 3-0 lead after two periods as Curtis Joseph closed in on his second straight shutout. But the Predators dominated the third period, scoring on four of 20 shots after taking just 11 over the first 40 minutes.
"I thought the first two periods, we looked like we did in Calgary (on Tuesday)," Detroit coach Dave Lewis said. "You expect experienced guys to make the right decisions at the right time. That's what experience is for. It's just disappointing to finish a hockey game like that."
Walker capped the comeback with 23 seconds left on Kris Draper's penalty for goaltender interference. Rookie defenseman Dan Hamhuis wristed a shot from the blue line and Walker, tied up in front of the net with Jiri Fischer, tipped it past Joseph for his fourth goal of the season.
"It was awesome," Walker said. "To be honest, we only played 20 minutes, so we should have had a lot left. We just stood around and watched them skate for two periods. Finally, we decided, 'Screw it. What's the worst that can happen -- we lose 5-0 or 6-0?'"
Vladimir Orszagh, Martin Erat and Scott Hartnell also tallied for Nashville, which ended a four-game winless streak during which it failed to score more than three goals.
"It was as well as we've played for a short period," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "That might be our best period for passion, determination and those things. The guys were determined to make something happen."
Nashville got a speech from Trotz after the second period.
"We just talked about the previous years and how we shouldn't take a back seat to anyone," the coach said. "Tonight, they got the message in the third that we weren't going to take a back seat. They dug in. They get all the credit."
Brendan Shanahan had a power-play goal and an assist for the Red Wings, whose collapse left them with one win in the last seven games (1-5-1).
"This isn't how we scripted the start of the season," Draper said. "We've got to get something going. The Western Conference is tough and teams are winning and competing. Right now, we're not there."
Orszagh started the comeback at 6:47 of the third period after Denis Arkhipov intercepted a clearing attempt along the left boards.
Erat ended a nearly year-long scoring drought at 11:57, circling out to the top of the right faceoff circle before putting a shot through traffic and past Joseph. It was his first goal in 24 games since November 12, 2002.
Hartnell tied it with 3:34 left, moving out of the right corner and shrugging off a check from Boyd Devereaux before pushing the puck past Joseph for his fifth goal of the season and third in as many games.
"I remember last year after the All-Star break, we were down 4-2 here after the first period and we tied 5-5 and had a great month after that," Predators goalie Tomas Vokoun said. "It does carry over."
Before Walker's game-winner, the Red Wings had the chance to regain the lead, but Steve Yzerman could not get a rebound past Vokoun after he was checked to the ice.
"It was textbook what not to do in the third period with a three-goal lead," Detroit defenseman Mathieu Schneider said. "We just sat back. We had great success in the first two periods by standing up."
Holmstrom got the Red Wings going just 14 seconds into the game, deflecting Ray Whitney's shot past Vokoun for his fourth goal. Draper made it 2-0 just over seven minutes later and Shanahan gave Detroit a three-goal cushion with 1:52 left in the second period.
"It was two entirely different games," Lewis said. "We had total control in the first period. In the second period, we had a 3-0 lead. We made some poor decisions that cost us the hockey game, not as individuals but as a group."
