Lucas Raymond scored the shootout winner as the Detroit Red Wings rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night, capturing their fourth game in a row.
“I not sure I can put my finger on exactly what the change was,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said after the game. “They played a little bit quicker; a little bit faster and I think we had every opportunity to put them away early in the game. To get that third goal, whether it was five-on-five or the power-play, I think we were just missing that.”
Dylan Larkin scored the insurance marker in the shootout and had a goal in regulation. Michael Rasmussen also scored for the Red Wings (25-21-5) who have gone 12-4-1 since Todd McLellan became head coach on Dec. 26.
Leon Draisaitl and Jeff Skinner replied for the Oilers (32-15-4) who saw a three-game winning streak halted. Edmonton has nonetheless won 11 of their last 15 games.
Alex Lyon managed to make 44 stops to collect the win in net for the Red Wings. Stuart Skinner recorded 33 saves in the loss for the Oilers.
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“I thought he was solid for us, made some big saves, and (we) just couldn’t find that third one to push us over the top,” Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said when asked about Skinner’s performance.
TAKEAWAYS
Red Wings: Captain Larkin has thrived with McLellan as head coach, now with points in 14 of the 17 games since he arrived — 10 goals and 22 points.
Wings veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko was playing in his 800th career NHL game, recording 299 goals and 649 points. He has 20 points in 49 games with Detroit this season.
Oilers: Edmonton welcomed defenceman John Klingberg to the lineup two weeks after signing him as a free agent. The 32-year-old Swede last played Nov. 11, 2023 as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, an absence of 446 days. Klingberg, who was a standout during his time from 2014 to 2022 with the Dallas Stars, is coming off double hip surgery.
KEY MOMENT
The Red Wings tied the game with 8:13 remaining in the second period as Marco Kasper’s bounce pass off the boards sprung Larkin on a partial breakaway. He beat Skinner for his 22nd of the season.
KEY STAT
Draisaitl now has an NHL-high 18 points on game-opening goals this season. The German star has also scored an NHL-best 21.6 per cent of Edmonton’s goals this season. That would equate to the third-highest in a season in Oilers franchise history if the campaign was to come to a close today.
UP NEXT
Red Wings: Travel down the road to Calgary to take on the Flames on Saturday.
Oilers: Remain at home to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
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