The Detroit Red Wings scored early and held on to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 at Rogers Arena on Thursday, extending their point streak to six games.
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The Detroit Red Wings earned a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Thursday, pushing their point streak to six consecutive games.
Detroit took control early, scoring three times in the opening nine minutes of the first period and never trailing after that early advantage. Coach Todd McLellan said the team “played the type of game we needed to play,” adding, “It was a good start, a good middle and good right to the end.”
The opening goal came 4:18 into the first period when Lucas Raymond deflected Albert Johansson’s one-timer from the Canucks’ blue line between his legs for a 1-0 lead, a goal that was also Raymond’s second of the season. Raymond later spoke about the start, saying, “I think we came out really hot… Good O-zone time and obviously, we got rewarded for it.”
William Wallinder made it 2-0 at 6:04 with his second goal of the campaign, and Raymond extended Detroit’s lead again to make it 3-1 after Elias Pettersson’s power-play goal at 7:02 cut the Canucks’ deficit to 2-1. Raymond’s man-advantage tally pushed Vancouver further behind, and he finished the first frame with three points in the early stretch.
The Red Wings added their lone second-period goal at 14:58, as Michael Rasmussen deflected Anton Johansson’s shot from deep to make it 4-1. J.T. Compher recorded the secondary helper, with Compher playing his first game since Oct. 4.
In the third period, Emmitt Finnie put the game out of reach four minutes into the stanza, scoring to make it 5-1. Vancouver’s Jonathan Lekkerimaki got one past Detroit’s net at 10:37, but the Canucks were unable to close the gap as their winless streak reached nine straight games.
Detroit outshot Vancouver 31-13 overall, including holding the Canucks to zero shots in the second period. Kevin Lankinen finished with 26 saves for Vancouver.
Detroit goalie John Gibson started the game and made four saves on five shots through two periods before leaving with an upper-body injury. Michal Postava made his NHL debut in relief, stopping seven shots.
Postava said the call came quickly after the second period, adding that he was told “(Gibson) had some problem with his eye” and to “warm up and be ready if I go in.” McLellan explained that an update came during the intermission, saying it was “about 10 minutes left in the intermission” when he found out, and that Postava was then able to go in.
The Red Wings’ next game will be their final visit to Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday night against the Calgary Flames.
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