Eight goals propelled the Detroit Red Wings to a win over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night.
It was perhaps the best performance at Little Caesars so far this season for the Red Wings. They handily defeated the Flames after scoring four goals in the first period.
How it Happened
The Red Wings struck quickly in the opening period with two goals in the first eight minutes. First, it was Andreas Athanasiou who got his centering pass put home by the Flames Tj Brodie in a failed attempt to block the pass.
Gustav Nyquist made it 2-0 just over a minute later as he recorded his sixth goal of the season. Henrik Zetterberg and Anthony Mantha provided the assists.
The Flames would get on the board just a minute after Nyquist doubled the Wings advantage with Michael Ferland recording the goal for the away side.
A pair of special teams goals gave the Red Wings a 4-1 lead at the first intermission. Mantha directed a shot past Eddie Lack on the power play and Dylan Larkin scored one of the goals of the season on a shorthanded opportunity.
Mantha added another power play goal in the second period for his 10th goal of the season.
Johnny Gaudreau trimmed the Red Wings lead to three with his eighth goal of the season.
Justin Abdelkader would score in his return after missing last Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with a fractured cheekbone.
Athanasiou and Luke Glendening would add two more power play goals for the Wings late in the third to put the game beyond any doubt as it finished 8-2.
Game Notes
- Jimmy Howard got the win in net as he stopped 26 of 28 shots faced.
- Mantha and Athanasiou both had three-point nights with two goals and an assist apiece. Larkin also had three points with a goal and two assists.
- The Wings were 4 for 7 on the power play.
- Mike Green had three assists to increase his season total to 16 assists.
- Trevor Daley left the game with an upper-body injury and did not return.
- Luke Witkowski dropped the gloves with Brett Kulak which led to an ensuing fight between both teams that resulted in a short delay to sort out penalties.
- This was the first time the Red Wings have scored eight goals since 2013.