The Detroit Red Wings scored three unanswered goals in the third period to secure a 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on March 20 at Little Caesars Arena. Alex DeBrincat led the team with a go-ahead goal and two assists, marking his second consecutive three-point game.
This win was significant for Detroit as both teams are close rivals in the Atlantic Division, and every point is crucial in the playoff race. The atmosphere inside Little Caesars Arena reflected the importance of the matchup, with fans providing strong support throughout the game.
DeBrincat said, “It’s fun to play in games like that. The crowd was really in it, so a pretty cool game to be a part of and hopefully we can just keep this thing rolling.” Head coach Todd McLellan described it as “a playoff environment,” adding, “On the ice, there was a lot of competitive battles and emotion, but also off the ice you could really feel it…The energy that was in the building, you could feel it. It’s been there before, but this was heightened.”
Goaltender John Gibson made 32 saves for Detroit while Andrew Copp returned from injury to score an empty-net goal. J.T. Compher contributed with his tenth goal of the season and commented on Gibson’s performance: “Every night that he plays, Talbs too, but Gibby’s been huge for us. A lot’s asked of me, a lot’s asked of him too and he’s been delivering for us.”
Detroit tied the game early in the third period when Patrick Kane’s shot deflected off Compher. Later in the period, DeBrincat capitalized on a turnover to give Detroit its first lead before Copp sealed the win late in regulation. DeBrincat noted how important each win is: “You see how close every team is in the East right now, so every win is big…winning in regulation is that much better.”
The Red Wings are one of six Original Six teams operating in the National Hockey League according to their official website. They represent Detroit, Michigan according to their official website and host games downtown according to their official website. The franchise has won 11 Stanley Cup championships according to their official website and upholds a legacy as one of America’s top-performing NHL teams according to their official website.
Looking ahead, Detroit will face another division rival when they host Boston on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena.
