Just before the midpoint of the first period, Jake Walman and Joe Veleno found themselves on a 2-on-0 behind the Tampa Bay Lightning’s defense. Veleno fed Walman for a one-timer at the back post, but Jonas Johansson turned the shot aside. Within 15 seconds, Tampa connected on a counter-attack, and Victor Hedman fed Steven Stamkos for a one-timer that found its mark. It was the kind of opportunity that doesn’t come around often, and instead of producing a Red Wing goal, the chance wound up in the Detroit net.
Except some forty-five minutes of game time later, the Red Wings had another 2-on-0.
This time, it was captain Dylan Larkin barreling down the wing, having stripped Brandon Hagel in the defensive zone and charged past a flat-footed Mikhail Sergachev into the neutral zone.
To his left raced Alex DeBrincat. Behind him, Hagel raced to atone for his turnover on the back-check. Larkin dished left for DeBrincat, and the winger—playing in his first home game back in his home state for the team he grew up cheering on—left no doubt with his one-timed shot, depositing his second goal of the evening.
The goal lifted Detroit to a 5-3 lead, and the clock showed 15:16 to play in the third.
Tampa would keep pressing and cut the lead to one with a Hedman goal with 10:21 to play, but the lead held. As time expired, Mortiz Seider struck the empty net from his own zone. Red Wings 6, Lightning 4. Final.
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