RECAP: Larkin’s overtime goal caps off 'evenly played' and 'entertaining' divisional clash, lifts Detroit to 2-1 victory in Toronto

TORONTO – Completing a sweep of a regular-season series of at least four games against their Original Six and Atlantic Division rival for the first time since 1995-96, the Detroit Red Wings outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2-1 overtime victory at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night.

“It’s nice to win,” said Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said, who scored his 12th career overtime goal to tie Sergei Fedorov for the most in franchise history. “They’re big goals and important points. A lot of times, I’m getting a nice pass or nice play like Mo did tonight, so it’s nice to cap it off there.”

Helping Detroit (31-16-4; 66 points) tie the idle Tampa Bay Lighting for the most points in the Atlantic Division, goalie John Gibson made 30 saves for his seventh straight win. As for goaltender Joseph Woll, he had 39 saves for Toronto (24-17-9; 57 points).

“I thought the goaltending overall in the game was really good,” Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said. “I thought Woll also gave his team a chance to win. A pretty evenly played, entertaining game and we’re happy we’re moving on.”

Detroit had plenty of good looks in the first period after Scott Laughton’s one-timer from just above the crease capped off a tic-tac-toe passing play to crack the scoresheet first for Toronto at 4:46, and finally beat Woll – he foiled the Red Wings several times throughout the frame, including a pair of big saves late on a power play they had earned in the 14th minute -- with 18 seconds to go before the first intermission.

“We weren’t happy with the way we gave up the first goal,” McLellan said. “Had some chances after that. Caught them holding line or pinching, if you will, and were able to take the rush and get it. So now, you come in after the first, you’re on the road and you’re tied up. There’s a little more positivity that’s going through the locker room versus being down by one. But from thereon, it was pretty even.”

Lucas Raymond was skating backwards through the right face-off circle when the puck arrived on his stick via captain Dylan Larkin, and the Swedish forward was just above the goal line before he hit Simon Edvinsson crashing to the net with a quick feed for a tap-in goal to make it 1-1. Edvinsson’s sixth goal of the season also snapped his six-game pointless drought.

"I feel like it's been a little bit up and down," Edvinsson said of his play this season. "Of course, it's been a lot of minutes. That's new for me to play that much, tight schedule as well, but I feel like I get the confidence from the coach. That means a lot."

Thanks in large part to Gibson, the game still knotted at one apiece after 40 minutes of action. Not only did he stand tall on two power plays that the Maple Leafs got just 5:03 apart roughly midway through, but Gibson also held his ground on Laughton’s penalty shot at 16:41 of the second period.

“I don’t want to hype him up too much, but I think he’s a Vezina [Trophy candidate],” Edvinsson said of Gibson. “He’s been unreal. Look at the stats and the saves he made today. What a goalie he is. I have all the confidence in him that he’s going to perform when we need him the most, and he’s been doing that. Hopefully he doesn’t read this. I don’t want him to hold this against me, but wow, what a goalie.”

Gibson said his mindset for a penalty shot mirrors his approach for a shootout situation and, really, whenever he’s between the pipes.

“You just got to stop the puck,” Gibson said. “I got lucky there that he fumbled it or whatever it was. I don’t really know what happened.”

Following a scoreless final frame, the action shifted to overtime, where Larkin netted the winner from the slot at 3:08 to push Detroit’s winning streak to three straight games.

Larkin credited Moritz Seider for setting him up, as the 24-year-old defenseman outmuscled and stole the puck from Easton Cowan in the neutral zone before feeding the 29-year-old captain.

“He’s got a diesel engine,” Larkin said of Seider. “He chases us like that in practice all the time, and I knew when he started chasing Cowan that he was going to get the puck because he does it. He plays like that, starting in Training Camp, every day really. Strong stick, strong skater. He almost put it in the corner, but I caught up to it and was able to finish it off. I would’ve liked to go back to him to reward him for all the hard work, but I ran out of real estate.”

NEXT UP: Detroit will wrap up yet another back-to-back set when it battles the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena on Thursday night.

WHAT WAS SAID

McLellan on Gibson’s play in Toronto, especially in the second period

“More of the same. We’ve seen it now for two months. They gained a lot of momentum on those two penalty kills. I think they had nine shots on goal or something, so he was very busy. We had trouble winning a draw, trouble clearing, broke a stick. So just about anything that could go wrong did go wrong, but he was there for us to make the saves when he needed to.”

Larkin on Detroit’s success in OT this season

“Maybe confidence, good legs? I think the chemistry seems to be with Ray and I going over the boards first. Sometimes, it’s a little bit stale at first and no one really breaks it open, then Cat, Compher and Kaner come out. Really, whoever’s playing well. It’s pretty dangerous. Three combos and that seems to be working. That’s my theory, is we have good chemistry between the pairs that go out.”

Gibson on how he’s been feeling of late

“I just think we’re trying to play consistent. Like I said a few days ago, I just want to go out there every night and play our game, stick to our game plan and be consistent. I’m doing a good job of that.”

Edvinsson on if he would be considered to play for Team Sweden at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 next month

"Olympics is probably the biggest thing you can play, right? So, the honor to represent your country, that would be huge. You can only hope, right? It would be a great honor."