Red Wings pick up point, but still can't get 'traction' with overtime loss to Canucks

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News on Dec 1, 2024

Published in Hockey

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DETROIT — The Vancouver Canucks have been one of the best road teams in the NHL this season and they proved it again Sunday.

Jake DeBrusk scored his third goal of the game, at 4 minutes of overtime, giving the Canucks a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. DeBrusk took a handoff from Elias Pettersson and blistered a shot past goaltender Ville Husso.

It was the 10th road win in 12 games for the Canucks (13-7-3), who ironically are a below-.500 team at home (3-5-3). Vancouver has won four of five games on its current six-game road trip.

"Easy switch and they scored on a pretty good shot," Wings coach Derek Lalonde said of the game-winning goal. "It happens all the time on three-on-three (the switch play) and we defended it fairly well, kept it for distance. But it was a pretty good shot.

"A great start (to the game), that's probably the frustration of only getting the one point (for the standings), it was the way we started."

The overtime loss left the Wings at 10-11-3, with points in three of the last four games (2-1-1). They are 3-2-1 over their last six games, keeping themselves above water, but not getting the long winning streak and traction to be able to substantially move up the standings.

"Traction is the word," Lalonde said. "We're sitting here, an opportunity today, the last handful of games, we just can't get traction. The three losses of late, the (Boston) Bruins game was there for the taking, the other night (New Jersey loss) was there for the taking and (Sunday) certainly was there for the taking.

"We had some good performances in there. We have to stay on it and keep rounding out our game. You can see flashes of it."

Vancouver's Erik Brannstrom tied the game 4-4 with his third goal at 16:40 of the third period with a shot from the point.

Michael Rasmussen and Vladimir Tarasenko scored 3:48 apart early in the third period, sending the Red Wings to a 4-3 lead. Rasmussen's power-play goal, the Wings' second of the afternoon, tied the game 3-3. Rasmussen put in a loose puck near goaltender Kevin Lankinen at 2:21, Rasmussen's fourth goal. Tarasenko scored his fourth goal — second in two games — converting Jonatan Berggren's pass through the slot at 4:50.

"Vlade's goal was a huge goal, and we responded on our power play as well," captain Dylan Larkin said. "But we came up a little short at the end. Three-on-three (overtime), anything can happen."

Vancouver took a 3-2 lead on former Wings' forward Pius Suter's ninth goal late in the second period. Suter kept the puck on a rush and beat goaltender Ville Husso. But Rasmussen and Tarasenko quickly put the Wings ahead to start the third period.

Berggren and Alex DeBrincat (power play) added Wings goals.

The Wings lost goaltender Cam Talbot to a lower-body injury in the second period. Talbot left the ice moments after DeBrincat scored his 10th goal, tying the game 2-2.

Lalonde didn't have any further update, other than the likelihood of more of an update Monday.

DeBrusk had two Vancouver power-play goals in 43 seconds early in the second period, giving the Canucks a 2-1 lead as the Wings' penalty kill continued to struggle.

Although in this game, it wasn't the Wings' structure on the kill but rather a missed clearing attempt.

With Vancouver enjoying a two-man advantage, DeBrusk deflected Pettersson's shot just 23 seconds into the second period. Then, with the Canucks still enjoying a power play, DeBrusk tapped in a loose puck off Quinn Hughes' shot past Talbot, DeBrusk's ninth goal, after Lucas Raymond missed an opportunity to clear the puck down the ice.

"The penalty kill again (is a focus), but this was different. A five-on-three (man advantage), and they had a good tip on it. Then the second one, man, missed clear and those are the frustrating ones. A lot of it has not been structure of late.

"Lucas Raymond is going to be an all-star type of player and he misses a clear. We had kills after that, but it's the frustration of where the penalty kill is. It's finding a way to sting us."

Berggren opened the game's scoring with his fourth goal, at 13:57 of the first period. Berggren put back a rebound of Erik Gustafsson's shot from the point that appeared to also carom off a skate straight to Berggren on the flank.

Berggren had a goal and assist, Marco Kasper had two assists, and Tarasenko a goal, as the line continues to develop into a promising unit. The development of Berggren and Kasper, especially, is heartening.

"They've brought a spark," Larkin said. "Marco battles and Bergey makes plays. They're still learning but it's great to see for the future and for those guys to be contributing."

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