RECAP: Despite 6-5 OT loss, Red Wings show plenty of fight in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH – Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde revealed he strayed from the norm following Thursday’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.

“The guys did a great job,” Lalonde said. “I don’t usually address the guys after a game, but I had to address them after this simply because that was a huge point. To be down with seven minutes left, two goals on the road, everything that had happened…I give our guys a ton of credit for battling, staying in it and getting a point. There’s still a path there because of that point.”

Lucas Raymond recorded his second career NHL hat trick and added an assist while goalie Alex Lyon made 21 saves for the Red Wings (38-32-9; 85 points), who moved into a tie in the standings with the Washington Capitals (37-31-11; 85 points) and Philadelphia Flyers (37-32-11; 85 points), one point behind the Penguins (37-30-12; 86 points) for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot.

“It’s hard to get one point,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “Again, they got two and that’s a team we need to catch. The positive is the no quit.”

Drew O’Connor scored the game-opening goal at 2:40 of the first period, jamming in a backhand from the crease to give Pittsburgh an early 1-0 lead.

The Red Wings answered less than a minute later when Raymond scored his first goal of the night at 3:39 of the first period to tie it 1-1. He finished a rebound in front of the net after Alex DeBrincat forced a turnover and sent a shot from the right face-off circle that hit off the post.

The Penguins went ahead 2-1 at 15:09 of the first period when Kris Letang completed a nifty passing sequence with a wrister from the slot.

Raymond lit the lamp again with 14 seconds left in the first period after collecting a pass from DeBrincat on a 2-on-1 rush and beating Pittsburgh goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, who finished with 25 saves.

With the secondary assist on Raymond’s second first-period goal, Larkin also notched his 500th career NHL point. The 27-year-old forward is the 14th player in Red Wings history and 10th Michigan-born player in NHL history to reach the impressive milestone.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby made it 3-2 at 7:58 of the second period on a tap-in at the left post off a backdoor pass from Bryan Rust. A Pontiac, Mich., native, Rust pushed it to 4-2 just 4:46 later, firing a shot from the high slot that went off the crossbar and in.

Jeff Petry got Detroit back within 3-2 at 19:24 of the second period, finding twine on a shot from the top of the right face-off circle. Moritz Seider and Daniel Sprong picked up the assists on Petry’s third goal of the season.

Detroit found itself trailing 5-3 after surrendering a short-handed goal to Pittsburgh’s Jeff Carter at 3:32 of the third period.

“It was extremely frustrating,” Larkin said about Carter's goal. “We’re on the power play trying to get back into the game and we give up a shorty this time of year.”

At 12:56 of the third period, Larkin finished Raymond's centering pass with a wrister from the top of the crease for his team-leading 32nd goal of the season to make it 5-4. J.T. Compher also had an assist on the play. 

Helping the Red Wings force the extra session, Raymond completed his hat trick at 14:53 of the third period to tie it 5-5. He was assisted by Larkin and DeBrincat. 

“I give Lucas Raymond a lot of credit,” Larkin said. “He showed some stones tonight. To play the way he played in a game like that, he was the best player on the ice out there with some world-class players. That’s how you show up and play in a game like that. For a young guy to do that is unbelievable.”

Crosby had the primary assist on Erik Karlsson's game-winner at 1:40 of overtime, becoming the 14th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career assists and the seventh fastest. 

"I think we allowed a little bit too much than we would have wanted to, but we were able to stick with it," said Raymond, who leads Detroit with 68 points (29 goals, 39 assists) in 79 games this season. "I think that shows a lot about our team once again, to be able to battle back for a point.”

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will battle the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena for a critical matchup on Saturday night.

QUOTABLE

Lalonde on Raymond’s performance

“Lucas has been building his game for a while now, and that line had some good jump. DeBrincat had a good game for us. Dylan drives us every night. A hat trick on the road in a must-win this late in the season, really good on him. Obviously we needed it for the point.”

Larkin on responding from Tuesday’s loss against the Washington Capitals

“One thing our group has done is we’ve picked ourselves up, come out and kept fighting. It’s an emotional roller coaster this time of year and the position we’re in. To build yourself up again after the Washington game and play like that tonight says a lot about our group. It just hurts that we only got one point.”

Larkin on Detroit’s top line combining for 10 points against the Penguins

“It was one goal short and it stings. It really does. I think the way Lucas played tonight was, if you’re looking at a step in his career, man, that’s a performance that I’m very impressed by. I think that was a good statement to the hockey world.”

Larkin on how the Red Wings are navigating late-season emotions

“The emotions are unlike anything. It’s playoff mode. You win one, you’re top of the world. You lose one, you’re rock bottom. It’s just the way it goes. Like I keep saying, we keep picking ourselves up and playing hard. That’s what we’re going to have to do to the end. We’re right there. We just have to stick in it and find a way to get two points.”