Red Wings hang tough, but fall in season opener to Rangers
Published in Hockey
DETROIT — Dylan Larkin was roundly booed during pregame introductions, the Red Wings were quickly outshot 6-0, they allowed a power-play goal, and a "sell the team" chant was up and running — all within the first six minutes of opening night at Little Caesars Arena.
Not exactly a typical home opener.
And it didn't get a lot friendlier, as the Wings dropped a 2-0 decision to the New York Rangers on Friday.
The crowd came in angry and quickly booed Larkin, who was introduced along with the inactive players during the pre-game introductions. Larkin waved and smiled at the camera, as the crowd roared their disapproval after Larkin, the Wings' former captain, asked for a trade in June.
Larkin was stripped of his captaincy before training camp. Larkin has just begun skating, after suffering an upper-body injury days before training camp began.
The Wings were outplayed early in the first period, and the Rangers' surge was capped by a Sean Durzi power-play goal at 5:12. Durzi one-timed a pass from Gabe Perreault that got past goaltender John Gibson.
The Wings almost fell behind 2-0 on another Rangers' power-play tally, but video confirmed the Rangers were offsides and the goal was wiped away.
That turned the complexion of the game and appeared to energize the Wings, who pressured but were consistently thwarted by Garand.
The Wings outshot the Rangers 23-21.
An empty-net goal by Eeli Tolvanen clinched the Rangers' victory at 18:44 of the third period.
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