Dylan Larkin nets goal and assist as Red Wings beat Senators 5-3 in season opener

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Dylan Larkin returned to the ice with a goal and an assist, helping the Detroit Red Wings defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Tuesday. Detroit improved to 1-2-0 in the process, scoring enough to overcome a 1-0 Senators lead in the first period and a late rally that ultimately fell short.

The night’s story in Detroit also centered on Larkin’s offseason and recent injury. According to the game recap, Larkin asked for a trade away from Detroit, announced that he would no longer be the team’s captain, and then sustained an upper-body injury days before training camp began. In his first shifts, he was loudly booed, but that reaction shifted after the Red Wings began scoring.

Ottawa struck first when Tim Stutzle scored at 2:44 of the first period. The Senators’ captain-style sequence started in Detroit’s end of the ice, and Stutzle beat Axel Sandin-Pellikka before using Ben Chiarot as a screen to complete a snap shot past John Gibson’s blocker.

Detroit responded quickly. The Red Wings tied the game at 1-1 at 3:16 of the first period when Alex DeBrincat beat Samuel Ersson from the bottom of the left face-off circle. The tying goal came off Nate Danielson’s pass from the right side of the crease.

Larkin gave Detroit the lead for the first time at 13:14 of the first period. The recap credits DeBrincat’s pass finding Viktor Arvidsson down low, after which Arvidsson flicked the puck to Larkin alone at the top of the crease for the go-ahead score.

Detroit then expanded the advantage in the second period. Arvidsson scored a power-play goal at 2:01 by snapping in the rebound of Larkin’s initial shot to make it 3-1, and Justin Faulk followed shortly after. Faulk broke through Ottawa’s defense at 4:30 on a wrist shot from the high slot, finishing a stretch pass from William Wallinder to put Detroit up 4-1.

Ottawa cut the deficit to 4-2 at 6:08 of the second period on a power play. Drake Batherson scored after receiving a pass from William Eklund at the left post, sending the puck up and over Gibson’s stick with an off-speed wrist shot.

The Senators pulled closer again early in the third period. William Eklund scored at 10:30 after battling for the rebound of Fabian Zetterlund’s shot off the end boards, beating Gibson from a tough angle to make it 4-3.

Detroit sealed the outcome late. DeBrincat added the final goal at 19:10 of the third period with an empty-net power-play strike to set the 5-3 final.

Between the pipes, John Gibson made 22 saves for the Red Wings in their first win of the season. Samuel Ersson stopped 31 shots for Ottawa.

Alongside Larkin and DeBrincat, Detroit received multi-point contributions from Viktor Arvidsson and Justin Faulk, each with a goal and an assist, and Lucas Raymond, who finished with three assists. For Ottawa, Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, and William Eklund each registered a goal and an assist.

The win improved Detroit’s early-season record to 1-2-0, while Ottawa remained at 2-1-0 following the loss.