The Detroit Red Wings continued their impressive resurgence under new head coach Todd McLellan, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 at Canada Life Centre. With this victory, the Red Wings have now strung together four consecutive wins, drastically improving their position as they vie for playoff contention.
From the outset, the Red Wings showcased their determination, with Dylan Larkin scoring the opening goal just 6:25 minutes after the start of the game. This marked Larkin's 15th goal of the season, highlighting his continued importance to the team's offense. The Jets found themselves on their heels early, as they were outshot 17-7 during the first period.
"We came out strong and set the pace of the game early on," Larkin stated after the match. His performance was instrumental, particularly as the Jets had entered the game at the top of the NHL standings.
The Red Wings expanded their lead with another power-play goal, this time from Lucas Raymond, who converted on a setup from Moritz Seider at 4:33 of the second period. Raymond’s shot, which deflected off Winnipeg defenseman Neal Pionk, found its way past Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, marking his 16th goal of the season.
Despite finding themselves two goals down, the Jets managed to rally. Josh Morrissey found the net shortly after Raymond's goal, cutting the deficit to one. His point shot, which slightly deflected off Keith Motte before slipping by Red Wings' goaltender Alex Lyon, came at 5:48 of the second period and energized the crowd.
"We knew we had to respond, and I think we did well to get back within one goal," Morrissey said. The Jets improved their play significantly, outshooting the Red Wings 11-3 during the second period, but they struggled to capitalize on their scoring chances.
Nevertheless, the Red Wings maintained their composure, extending their lead early on in the final frame with another goal from Alex DeBrincat at 7:14. After forcing a turnover deep in the Jets’ zone, DeBrincat deftly redirected Patrick Kane's shot for his 17th goal of the season, making it 3-1.
Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Jets hope by scoring at 16:46, bringing the score to 3-2 and intensifying the late-game drama. His deft tip-in of another point shot from Pionk rekindled the Jets' momentum, prompting them to pull Hellebuyck for the extra attacker.
Despite the mounting pressure, Larkin secured the win for the Red Wings by adding an empty-net goal with just 29 seconds remaining, sealing the game at 4-2. Larkin’s empty-netter marked his second goal of the night and improved the Red Wings' record to 17-18-4.
Detroit’s victory is not only significant because of the game itself but also reflects the successful adaptation to McLellan’s coaching. Since his hiring on December 26, the team has shown noticeable improvement, going 4-1-0 during this stretch. McLellan, who has made strong adjustments to the power play—which has netted two goals per game lately—has been praised for reviving the team’s offensive strategies.
"It’s about building momentum and getting confidence back in our game," McLellan commented. "We’ve had some down moments this season, but to come out against the Jets and play like we did shows our potential."
The Jets, on the other hand, are left to ponder their difficult stretch, as they now stand at 27-12-2 and have been winless for three consecutive games (0-2-1). While Hellebuyck recorded 25 saves, he was unable to reach the milestone of 300 career wins, being held at 299 for the second straight game.
"Losing three straight is frustrating, especially when we had been playing so well earlier this season," Hellebuyck said. "We need to regroup and focus on our next game against Nashville."
Looking forward, both teams have important matchups upcoming, with Detroit set to face the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night and Winnipeg taking on the Nashville Predators the same day. The outcomes of these games could significantly influence each team’s positioning and momentum as the season continues to progress.