DETROIT (AP) -- While Steve Yzerman and Larry Murphy both reached scoring milestones Thursday night, the Detroit Red Wings' main priority against the Nashville Predators was defense.

After giving up 14 goals in a three-game winless streak, the Red Wings limited Nashville to just 23 shots in a 5-2 victory over the Predators.

	Detroit's Pat Verbeek, center, celebrates his goal with teammates Aaron Ward, left, and Yan Golubovsky on Thursday.

"We had to get back to playing games where scoring opportunities are limited and we're taking away ice," said forward Brendan Shanahan, who scored twice.

"That's something that's indicative of playoff hockey and it's something that we have to start doing now."

Detroit had a 5-0 lead when David Legwand scored with a two-man advantage to ruin Ken Wregget's shutout bid with only 5:27 left in the game. Patric Kjellberg added another goal 1:27 later.

"As you go to the end of the season, goals-against is a concern," said Detroit's Pat Verbeek, who had a goal and an assist. "Offense will take care of itself, but the defense has to step up."

Yzerman, who had three assists, deflected Murphy's shot past Predators goalie Mike Dunham at 5:41 of the second period for his 609th goal, breaking a tie with former teammate Dino Ciccarelli for ninth on the career list. Bobby Hull is eighth with 610.

The assist was the 900th of Murphy's career, and he got another on Tomas Holmstrom's third-period goal to move into a tie with Bryan Trottier for 10th place.

Nashville lost for the second straight night after an eight-game unbeaten streak.

"You have to have a mindset to win when you come in here," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "Instead, we just sit back and say 'Let's see how things play out' instead of saying 'Let's make them play with us.'

"They're better in a lot of areas, but it starts with the mentality of thinking you can win. You can't have the mindset of 'Let's weather the storm.' We have to match them blow for blow."

Wregget made 21 saves to improve his record to 11-7-1, equaling starting goalie Chris Osgood in wins. Osgood lost two straight starts after missing 15 games with a broken hand.

"I thought our guys played well defensively and came back as a unit," Wregget said.

Dunham made 30 saves for Nashville, which was coming off a 3-1 loss Wednesday at Dallas.

"I thought we were very tired," Dunham said. "We looked tired, and they took the play to us for almost the entire game. You have to limit their chances and tonight we got caught flat-footed. It might've been fatigue, because we got in at 3 in the morning. But every team has to do that."

The Shanahan-Yzerman-Verbeek line had eight points and was plus-5 after going a combined minus-13 during the winless streak.

"We talked as a line and said we'd better get back on track or we're not going to be a line very much longer," Shanahan said.

Verbeek scored the only goal of the first period when he converted a behind-the-net pass from Yzerman at 7:28.

"Our line hadn't played well the last two games and we weren't happy about that," Verbeek said.

Nashville's Scott Walker had to be helped off the ice earlier in the period when he was struck in the face by a shot from teammate Sebastien Bordeleau. A team spokesman said Walker, who did not return, suffered facial trauma and will be evaluated Friday.

Dunham was screened when Shanahan beat him with a shot while the Red Wings were on a power play at 11:31.

Shanahan fired a pass from Verbeek between Dunham's legs to make it 4-0 2:33 into the third period.