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Red Wings Edge Oilers in Shootout Thriller
In an electrifying match on Thursday night, Lucas Raymond secured a shootout victory for the Detroit Red Wings, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 and extending their winning streak to four games.
Despite the loss, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch expressed his belief that his team had the chances to secure a win. “I’m not sure I can pinpoint the exact change in momentum,” he stated. “They played with more speed, and we had numerous opportunities to seal the deal early. We needed that third goal, whether it was even strength or on the power play, and we just fell short.”
Dylan Larkin not only contributed a goal during regulation but also netted the decisive goal in the shootout, while Michael Rasmussen added another goal for the Red Wings, who now sport a record of 25-21-5 since Todd McLellan took the helm on December 26.
On the other side, Leon Draisaitl and Jeff Skinner found the net for the Oilers (32-15-4), who had their three-game winning streak come to an end. However, the team has managed to win 11 of their last 15 outings.
In goal, Alex Lyon was a standout performer with 44 saves for the Red Wings, while Stuart Skinner recorded 33 saves in a tough loss for the Oilers.
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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, an Oilers forward, praised Skinner’s efforts, stating, “I thought he was solid for us, making some crucial saves, but we just couldn’t find that third goal to secure the victory in the end.”
TAKEAWAYS
Red Wings: Under McLellan, captain Dylan Larkin has excelled, registering points in 14 of 17 games, which includes an impressive 10 goals and 22 points. Additionally, veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko celebrated his 800th NHL game, notching 299 goals and 649 points throughout his career. This season, he has accumulated 20 points in 49 games with Detroit.
Oilers: Edmonton welcomed defenseman John Klingberg back to the lineup after a lengthy absence of 446 days, following major hip surgeries. Klingberg, who had a strong tenure with the Dallas Stars from 2014 to 2022, last competed on November 11, 2023, with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
KEY MOMENT
The turning point came with just over eight minutes left in the second period when Marco Kasper’s clever bounce pass set up Larkin for a partial breakaway, resulting in his 22nd goal of the season and tying the game.
KEY STAT
Leon Draisaitl continues to shine, holding an NHL-high of 18 points for game-opening goals this season. He also accounts for a significant portion of Edmonton’s scoring with 21.6 percent of the team’s goals, a figure that could rank among the top all-time performances in Oilers history if maintained through the season.
UP NEXT
For the Red Wings, the next challenge awaits as they head to Calgary to face the Flames on Saturday. The Oilers will stay home to confront the Toronto Maple Leafs on the same day.
Source
globalnews.ca