What Happened
Dylan Larkin scored in his first game since requesting a trade, helping Detroit beat Ottawa 5-3 on Tuesday night. Larkin was booed on his first shift, but the reaction turned to cheers when he scored in the 13th minute to give the Red Wings a lead they never gave up. Alex DeBrincat scored twice, including a power-play empty-netter with 50 seconds left, and added an assist. Justin Faulk and Viktor Arvidsson also scored, while John Gibson made 22 saves.
Key Details
- Larkin's goal came in the 13th minute and gave Detroit a lead it never relinquished.
- DeBrincat opened the scoring 3:16 into the first on a wrist shot assisted by Nate Danielson and Carter Mazur.
- DeBrincat's second goal was a power-play empty-netter with 50 seconds remaining in the third.
- Samuel Ersson made 31 saves for Ottawa; John Gibson stopped 22 for Detroit.
- Ottawa's Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle and William Eklund scored; Ottawa had won its first two games.
- Linus Ullmark did not dress; Jonas Johansson was recalled from AHL Belleville to back up.
What It Means
The result is Ottawa's first loss of the young season, after opening with two wins, and it came with the Senators already short in goal. Detroit got a goal from Larkin in his return while his trade request remains unresolved, and the home crowd's mixed reaction underlined that situation. Ridly Greig returned from his two-game suspension to record an assist in his season debut.
What's Next
Ottawa's goaltending situation remains uncertain with Ullmark's status unclear and Johansson up from Belleville. Larkin's trade request is still unresolved several months after it became public.