SAINT PAUL, MN — The Detroit Red Wings were playing on tired legs and without one of their top defensemen, and did their best not to let it show.
Making a stop at Grand Casino Arena on a trip that has the Wings crossing the U.S.-Canada border four times in five days, the Wings took on the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, Jan. 22. The Wings played with a lead three times, but ultimately had to settle for a 4-3 loss in overtime.
Detroit Red Wings playoff picture
The one point did push the Wings (31-16-5, 67 points) past the Tampa Bay Lightning to top the Atlantic Division (though the Bolts have played four fewer games) and tie them for the lead in the Eastern Conference with the Carolina Hurricanes (who also lost on Thursday, in a shootout, but have played one less game than the Wings). The Lightning play Friday in Chicago, while the Wings next take the ice on Saturday (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network) against the Jets in Winnipeg.
Quick goals on both sides
Mats Zuccarello made it 2-2 early in the opening minute of the third period when he got his stick on Michigan alumnus Quinn Hughes’ rebound and used a backhand to score. Minutes later, James van Riemsdyk did what he does best – score an improbable goal in front of the net while off balance. He tipped Emmitt Finnie’s shot past goalie Minnesota’s Flip Gustavsson. But the lead didn’t last long, as Zuccarello leveled took advantage of Moritz Seider having broken his stick to score from just outside Detroit’s net 35 seconds later.
Kirill Kaprizov used Seider as a screen to score 45 seconds into overtime, with Hughes picking up his third assist of the game.
Defensive shuffle
The Wings were coming off a 2-1 overtime victory the previous night at the Toronto Maple Leafs. Defenseman Simon Edvinsson finished that game, playing 26:45 minutes, but he was unavailable Thursday because of a lower-body injury, prompting Travis Hamonic’s first appearance since Dec. 21.
The Wings did their best not to keep things rolling. When Marcus Foligno was called for high-sticking Finnie four minutes into the game, it took a little more than half a minute for the Wings to take advantage, with Lucas Raymond taking a pass from Dylan Larkin, sending the puck back to Seider, who held onto the puck for a second before sending it back to Raymond. Raymond’s wrist shot from the right circle sank behind Gustavsson at 4:39.
Chasing Mike Modano
Red Wings forward Patrick Kane remained two points behind metro Detroit native (and former Red Wing) Mike Modano for the most points in an NHL career by a U.S.-born player (1,374). Kane, who became the fifth U.S.-born player with 500 NHL goals earlier this month, went pointless in 15:53 of ice time Thursday to finish at minus-2 with three shots on goal with Modano, who starred in Minnesota as a member of the North Stars, in the building.
Wild horses
The Wild struck back on their first power play, while Hamonic was in the penalty box. Hughes, who the Wild landed in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks earlier this season, picked up an assist when Kirill Kaprizov angled a shot from the right flank that eluded goalie Cam Talbot at 17:19.
Talbot was outstanding during penalty kills in the second period, especially one around the midpoint, when the Wild had such good control of the puck they got four shots through on net and had three blocked. Back at five-on-five, Talbot made a big save on ex-Wing Vladimir Tarasenko when he threatened coming down the right wing.
Raymond scored again at 16:22 of the second period. Gustavsson went behind his net to play the puck, sending it along the boards. Marcus Johansson got his stick on the puck, but his intended pass for a teammate was intercepted by Raymond and sent five-hole into Minnesota’s net to make it 2-1 for the Wings.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings tamed by Minnesota Wild in 4-3 OT loss
