Wings win NHL-record 21 straight at home

Crowds at Joe Louis Arena have been treated to a lot of great hockey over the past two decades, as many talented players for the Detroit Red Wings have led the team to numerous victories, including four Stanley Cup championships.

But fans witnessed something new on Tuesday, and they responded by chanting "21, 21, 21!" as the final minutes ticked off.

The Wings established an NHL record with their 21st consecutive home victory, beating Dallas 3-1.

"The fans are a big part of this, the way they've been carrying us here this year, especially the last two games, they've been like playoff games, and it's helping us to play good," Wings center Henrik Zetterberg said.

The Wings broke the record they shared with the 1929-30 Boston Bruins and 1975-76 Philadelphia Flyers. In an era when the salary cap and parity has made it harder than ever to be dominant at home, the Wings are 24-2-1 at Joe Louis Arena, where they haven't lost since a 4-1 setback to Calgary on Nov. 3.

Strong defense and goaltending have been the cornerstones of this run. The Wings have outscored opponents 84-31. They are not allowing many scoring chances, in part because they are dominating puck possession, carrying the play and spending a lot of time in the offensive zone.

They will try to extend the streak Friday, when they host Nashville.

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