Larkin makes huge impact in return, leads Red Wings to 5-3 victory vs. Senators

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News on Oct 6, 2026

Published in Hockey

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DETROIT — The night began with loud boos directed at Dylan Larkin, but as the evening wore on there were a lot fewer.

Funny how that happens, after a player scores a goal, assists on another and starts a melee to end a period.

Quite a season debut for Larkin Tuesday, leading the Wings to a 5-3 victory over Ottawa. The victory ended a season-opening two-game losing streak for a team that looked much more inspired with their former captain in the lineup.

Of course it wasn't entirely easy.

Ottawa's William Eklund cut the Wings' lead to 4-3 at 10:30 of the third period, bouncing a shot off goaltender John Gibson and giving a small, but vocal, Little Caesars Arena crowd some anguish.

But Alex DeBrincat's second goal, into an empty net on the power play with 50 seconds remaining, gave the Wings the deciding 5-3 score.

Larkin, as you've heard, requested a trade in June, but the Wings never came close to moving him with Steve Yzerman as general manager — Yzerman was removed of that role in July — or with present GM Shawn Horcoff.

Larkin missed the preseason with an upper-body injury, and the first two games of the regular season with the injury.

But if Larkin keeps playing like this, who know if an actual trade ever materializes. It truly will be difficult to get full value back.

Larkin gave the Wings a 2-1 lead in the first period, with his first goal. Just after a Wings power play expired, Larkin batted a centering pass from Viktor Arvidsson, beating goaltender Samuel Ersson.

Larkin returned the favor early in the second period. On the power play, Arvidsson put back a rebound of Larkin's shot, giving the Wings a 3-1 lead at 2:01.

Larkin then went after Ottawa's Ridly Greig, after Greig had hit DeBrincat, leading to a brief full-out brawl between the teams to end the second period.

Justin Faulk added the other Wings goals.

Tim Stutzle and Draker Batherson (power play) also scored for Ottawa.

Larkin's start to the game certainly wasn't inspiring. Greeted with loud boos as he hit the ice and touched the puck, Larkin was on the ice as Stutzle scored, putting Ottawa ahead 1-0 at 2:44 of the first period.

But the Wings answered quickly, with DeBrincat scoring his first goal of the season, backhanding a loose puck past Ersson, just 32 seconds after Stutzle scored.