The Detroit Red Wings have played two of their best games this season since returning from Sweden. Detroit will seek its third straight victory when it hosts the Minnesota Wild on Sunday afternoon.
The Red Wings followed up a 0-1-1 record in the Global Series Sweden by holding the New Jersey Devils to 16 shots on goal in a 4-0 shutout on Wednesday. Detroit added a 5-2 road win against the Boston Bruins two days later.
The Red Wings have handed the Bruins their only two regulation losses this season.
“It’s a big feat,” team captain Dylan Larkin said. “It’s pretty amazing what these guys have been able to do early in the season. This is a big one for us, winning in this building.”
Alex DeBrincat scored his team-high 12th goal on a breakaway against Boston.
Larkin had one of the Wings’ two power-play goals. That unit has suddenly come to life.
The Wings were in a 2-for-41 slump with the man advantage until defenseman Moritz Seider scored on the power play against the Devils. J.T. Compher scored the game’s first goal in Boston on the power play.
“Special teams were good — power play came up huge,” forward Andrew Copp said. “I think we know any time playing these guys, it’s going to be a huge challenge, so good to see us rise up to that challenge.”
Detroit’s goaltenders have elevated their play as well. Alex Lyon recorded his second career shutout in the victory over the Devils. Ville Husso, who missed the games in Sweden due to the birth of his first child, stopped 25 shots against the Bruins.
“We came in ready to play,” Husso said. “Guys did a real good job (Friday), battled hard and blocked some shots. They made my job easy out there. It was a big win for us.”
Detroit will be facing Minnesota for the first time this season. The teams split their two meetings last season.
The Wild will aim to end their six-game losing streak (0-4-2). All but one of their past five contests has been decided by one goal.
They played their first game on Friday since going 0-0-2 in Sweden. The Colorado Avalanche scored a go-ahead goal early in the third period and held on for a 3-2 victory on Friday.
“Did we play well enough to win (Friday)? Yes,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. “But when things aren’t going good, you need to do something extra. Something needs to be done extra. We need all of it.”
Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek each scored in the second period. Minnesota blocked 18 shots and killed off five of six penalties.
“If we would have played like this all season, we would have a lot more wins,” goaltender Filip Gustavsson said.
The Wild’s power play wasn’t much better, scoring on one of five opportunities.
“I feel that we played better (Friday), but we just want two points,” Kaprizov said. “The last couple of games we’ve lost by one goal. I feel, too, we’ve played better — especially (Friday). We had a lot of chances. We play like that, wins will come.”
–Field Level Media
