RECAP: Detroit puts forth 'a pretty good night,' pushes point streak to six straight games with 5-2 victory in Vancouver

VANCOUVER — Quickly taking a multi-goal lead early in the first period and never trailing the rest of the night, the Detroit Red Wings pushed their point streak to six consecutive games with a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Thursday.

“It was a good start, a good middle and good right to the end,” Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said. “A couple mistakes in the third, but I thought we played the type of game we needed to play. I thought we checked really well. Didn’t give up much and countered well, so overall a pretty good night for our group.”

Goalie John Gibson turned away four of five shots through two periods for Detroit (4-3-3; 11 points) but didn’t return for the third because of an upper-body injury. That led to netminder Michal Postava’s NHL debut, a seven-save relief effort against Vancouver (2-9-1; 5 points).

“I think it’s the reward for me, for all the hard work I did last year and this year also,” said Postava, who was recalled from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins earlier in the day. “I’m so happy now.”

The Red Wings lit the lamp three times in the opening nine minutes of the first period, beginning 4:18 into the action with Lucas Raymond’s first goal of the frame – also his second of the season. The 24-year-old forward deflected Albert Johansson’s one-timer from the Canucks’ blue line between his legs for a 1-0 lead, initiated by Michael Brandsegg Nygård’s pass from the edge of the left face-off circle.

“I think we came out really hot,” Raymond said. “We came out playing with the puck. Good O-zone time and obviously, we got rewarded for it.”

William Wallinder, who said after Thursday’s morning skate that he’s been trying to stay on his toes and practicing self-awareness when it comes to what to do when the puck lands on his stick, added another goal at 6:04. Assisted by Raymond and Brandsegg Nygård, the 24-year-old rookie defenseman wound up with the puck just above Vancouver’s goal line and banked it in from a difficult angle for his second tally of the campaign.

Any momentum the Canucks gained from Elias Pettersson’s power-play goal at 7:02, which cut their deficit to 2-1, was short-lived. That’s because Raymond, who was assisted by Viktor Arvidsson and Alex DeBrincat, showed off a smooth backhand shot for a man-advantage tally of his own to push it to 3-1. It was also Raymond’s third goal of the season.

Not since Frank Mahovlich on March 16, 1969 (three points in the first 7:09) had a Red Wings skater post three points in the first nine minutes of a contest before Raymond did on Thursday.

“He put himself in good spots tonight to score,” McLellan said of Raymond, who has five points (three goals, two assists) in the past two games. “I thought he did that last game, even when he mishandled the puck a couple times… So now, he’s feeling good, the confidence is back, it should be, and hopefully it takes off.”

The lone goal of the second period – Detroit impressively held Vancouver to zero shots in that stanza – was scored by Michael Rasmussen at 14:58. The Surrey, B.C., native deflected Anton Johansson's shot from deep to push it to 4-1. 

J.T. Compher, playing his first game since Oct. 4, logged the secondary helper on Rasmussen's first goal of the season.

Emmitt Finnie really put the game out of reach four minutes into the third period, giving the Red Wings a 5-1 lead. 

The play began when Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen - he finished with 26 saves - left the net unattended after slipping in the crease. With Viktor Arvidsson picking up the lone assist, Finnie buried a wrist shot for his fourth goal of the season.

Although Jonathan Lekkerimaki managed to get one past Postava at 10:37, Vancouver's deficit was too large to erase and the Pacific Division club saw its winless streak hit nine consecutive games.

“We’re going out with the same mindset every game just to play our best and not really think about the other guys,” Brandsegg Nygård said. “Just trying to do what we can do, and I think we did that good tonight.”

NEXT UP: Detroit will make its final visit to Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday night when it takes on the Calgary Flames.

POSTGAME QUOTES

McLellan on Postava making his NHL debut

“That’s not the way we planned it. Even with (Gibson), I didn’t find out until about 10 minutes left in the intermission that this was going on. He had something in his eye. They’re still looking at it. So, the EBUG’s dressing, Michal’s told he’s going to play and away he goes. So, did a real good job. Happy for him, and congratulations – you’re in the NHL now.”

McLellan on goalie Daniil Tarasov’s status

“He is day-to-day. We anticipated it may be a little bit longer this morning, and that’s why he’s not on IR. (Postava) was coming anyhow. We’ll see how he is tomorrow.”

McLellan on the youngsters continuing to make an impact

“It’s been built through the Draft, and at some point you have to harvest your fruit a little bit. The young guys are contributing. They’re playing well on both sides of the puck, which is important. But it’s still early in the year. They have to continue to grow, and I think there’s a lot of runway for all of them.”

Raymond on if the floodgates are opening for him now

“It’s obviously nice, right? For me as a player and the team, but I think you got to look at the process more.”

Brandsegg Nygård on what stood out to him from Thursday’s win

“I think we had a gameplan… We had a couple of good bounces in the beginning and our momentum from that was good. We didn’t let off the gas.”

Postava on when he learned he might be getting into the action

“Right after the second period, they just told me (Gibson) had some problem with his eye. They told me just warm up and be ready if I go in.”