Sparks flew at Little Caesars Arena as the Detroit Red Wings took down the Vancouver Canucks with a tight 4-3 victory, capped by a Jake Walman penalty shot snipe in overtime on Saturday.
The defenseman scored just 23 seconds into the extra period. “Overtime is capitalizing on chances and breakdowns," Walman told CBS News. Detroit's bench erupted into a frenzy with Walman's "Griddy" dance sealing the night. It was a rally that saw the Red Wings recover from a two-goal deficit in the third period.
Previously sidelined Patrick Kane made his mark as he logged his 1,200th career game, joining the ranks of the NHL's most seasoned American skaters, as the Detroit Free Press reported. Kane recorded an assist, proving his return adds a significant edge to a Red Wings team that is holding onto a coveted wild card spot.
Despite the victory, the Red Wings struggled to capitalize on a five-minute power play generated by Nikita Zadorov's hit on Lucas Raymond, which led to his ejection from the game. Raymond returned from the hit, a move that coach Derek Lalonde emphasized was important, "I’m glad he’s good. Obviously a good sign he came back," he told USA Today.
Despite the Canucks' Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson contributing a goal and two assists each, it was the Red Wings' Michael Rasmussen's tying goal redirected from Walman's shot that forced overtime. The win puts the Red Wings' record at impressive lengths, having now triumphed seven times after lagging through two intervals. As the game wrapped up, Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet reflected on the lost point, lamenting, “We have to learn that, under this pressure, you've got to lock these games down. We were up 3-1 and we let a point slip away." CBS News reported.
