Detroit City Wire

The Detroit Red Wings secured a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Little Caesars Arena on Monday night, with Dominik Shine making headlines in his NHL debut. At 31 years old, Shine became the oldest player to debut with the franchise since Vaclav Nedomansky in 1977. Shine played for nearly ten minutes and expressed his excitement about finally reaching the NHL after years of dedication.

“It was amazing,” said Shine, reflecting on his journey from Northern Michigan University and the Grand Rapids Griffins to this moment. “I got the call around 10:30 a.m. I was driving my son to get some ice cream, actually was kind of ironic. It was so crazy."

Goalies Cam Talbot and Darcy Kuemper both made 23 saves during the game, which marked a successful end to a three-game homestand for the Red Wings (24-21-5; 53 points) against the Kings (26-15-6; 58 points).

Detroit head coach Todd McLellan commented on Shine's impact, saying, “I think it was a good choice. He earned the contract, his way here and his keep tonight."

The Kings took an early lead with Kevin Fiala scoring first, followed by an own goal that increased their advantage to 2-0. However, Lucas Raymond quickly responded for Detroit, reducing the deficit with his backhand shot.

Raymond's performance drew praise from McLellan: "Boy, you don't realize how impactful he is on a game."

Alex DeBrincat equalized for Detroit during a power play in the second period. Elmer Soderblom then gave Detroit its first lead with his first goal of the season.

Soderblom noted improvements in his gameplay: “It feels like I’m playing better and I’ve grown into my game.”

Marco Kasper extended Detroit’s lead before sealing it with an empty-net goal in the final seconds.

“That’s what I wanted for this -- come out with a win and have everyone in that locker room happy,” said Shine.

As they prepare for their next match against Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night, McLellan reflected on their victory over Los Angeles: "We capitalized on our chances... Good teams do that."

Soderblom shared his excitement about Shine's debut: “It’s so fun to see... The hard work he’s put in, he really deserves it.”

Shine described stepping onto NHL ice for the first time as nerve-wracking but ultimately comfortable once he started playing.