Detroit is looking to rebound after its five-game winning streak was snapped on home ice Tuesday in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had a power-play goal and two assists, becoming the first Detroit player to record a seven-game season-opening point streak since Brian Rafalski in 2008-09.
With three third-period power-play goals against the Kraken, the Red Wings have notched multiple man-advantage tallies in five of their first seven games this season. As of Thursday morning, Detroit’s 41.4-percent power-play success rate ranked second in the NHL.
“I think our power play can still be a lot better,” said Moritz Seider, who recorded two assists Tuesday for his third multi-point game this season. “If we dial in on our face-offs a little bit more, we can have even more success. We just don’t want to be satisfied.”
Seider has one goal and six assists in seven games this season. The 22-year-old defenseman sits just one point shy of 100 for his NHL career.
“It’s a good start for hopefully a long and healthy career,” said Seider, who has 13 goals and 86 assists in 171 career NHL games. “I’ve realized you don’t really have to look at points as your number one priority.”
Earning a point Thursday would make Seider the third-fastest Red Wings defenseman to reach the 100-point mark, behind Reed Larson (139 games) and Nicklas Lidstrom (160 games).
“There’s a lot more to a complete game and that’s what I’m focusing on,” Seider said. “But (100) is obviously a nice number to hit for sure.”
Winnipeg is coming off a 4-2 home win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Mark Scheifele paces the Jets with seven points and is tied with Kyle Connor for the team lead in goals (four). Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, a Commerce, Mich., native, has a 3-2-0 record, 3.38 goals-against average and .881 save percentage this season.
