Although failing to qualify for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings (39-35-7) extended their late-season winning streak to three games with a 5-2 victory vs. the New Jersey Devils (42-33-7) on Wednesday night from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
The Red Wings initially thought they got on the board first via a power-play goal from Vladimir Tarasenko with 12:20 remaining in the first period. Unfortunately, the Devils utilized their coaches’ challenge on the play, which caused the goal to be overturned due to J.T. Compher’s stick slightly interfering with the glove of New Jersey goaltender Nico Daws.
Detroit would later officially cash in the opening goal with 2:53 remaining in the period when Lucan Raymond’s pass on the rush would deflect off the skate of Simon Edvinsson perfectly to an open Jonatan Berggren on the left side of the net, who would fire a wrist shot into the upper left corner above the shoulder of Daws to give the Red Wings a 1-0 lead. The goal is Berggren’s 12th of the season and second in as many games. Edvinsson also picked up his 23rd assist of the year, and Raymond tallied his team-leading 52nd helper on the play.
Detroit would tack on another goal with 14:40 left in the second period when J.T. Compher would get redemption for his goaltender interference miscue in the opening frame by firing a laser of a wrist shot on the rush along the left-side boards that found its way over the catching glove of Daws into the top right corner of the net.
The goal is Compher’s 11th of the campaign, with Dan Petry getting an assist as he cleared the puck out of the Red Wings’ zone, which kicked off Michael Rasmussen to the streaking Compher. For Petry, it is his seventh assist of the season, while Rasmussen registered his 10th.
The Red Wings would cash in once more to make it 3-0 with 17:05 remaining in the third period when Dylan Larkin fired a bullet over the blocker of Daws into the top left corner of the net just as the Red Wings’ power play had expired. The play was set up when Moritz Seider passed the puck from the point to Simon Edvinsson on the right side, who drew two Devils players out of position just enough to free a passing lane to a wide-open Larkin in the high slot for the goal.
While the power-play technically expired, the situation was essentially still a 5-on-4 as the Devils’ player had not entered the play until the puck was already in the back of the net.
The goal is Larkin’s 30th of the season, while Edvinsson picked up his 24th assist and Seider recorded his 36th.
The Devils would make the game interesting later in the period, as Erik Haula would convert on the power play with 8:28 remaining, and Dawson Mercer would fire a wrister from the top of the blue paint past Cam Talbot with 5:39 left to make it a 3-2 Red Wings lead.
With the pace of play ramping up following the second New Jersey goal, Detroit would quiet the Prudential Center crowd when Seider would make an outlet pass to Larkin, who weaved his way into the New Jersey zone before making a pass to an open Alex DeBrincat for a wrist shot from the high slot that beat Daws on the right side under the arm for a 4-2 advantage. Larkin’s fly-by screen through the slot blocked Daws’s vision just enough to allow DeBrincat’s shot to catch the New Jersey netminder out of position.
DeBrincat’s goal is his 38th of the year, while Larkin recorded his 40th assist and Seider picked up his 37th helper (second of the game).
The goal is also significant as DeBrincat now enters the final game of the regular season, two shy of becoming the first to reach the 40-goal plateau since Red Wings legend Marian Hossa accomplished the feat during the 2009-10 campaign.
Detroit would seal the game with 9.1 seconds remaining, as Berggren would pass to Raymond with an empty-net, who would then give the puck to an open Marco Kasper in the right circle for his 19th goal of the year to make it a 5-2 game. Berggren’s assist gives him 12 of the season, while Raymond’s helper allows him 53 assists (second of the game) to reach the 80-point threshold on the year.
Regarding special teams, the Red Wings were officially 0-for-4 on the man advantage, although Larkin’s goal was scored just as the power play had expired. New Jersey converted on 1-of-2 power play chances.
The Red Wings will look to close out the 2024-25 regular season with a win with Petr Mrazek expected to start in goal as they travel to Toronto for a Thursday night game vs. the Maple Leafs (51-26-4) at Scotiabank Arena at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Detroit and ESPN+ (out-of-market viewers).
