RECAP: Penalty kill helps visiting Red Wings fend off Blackhawks for 3-1 preseason victory

CHICAGO – Behind a perfect night on the penalty kill, the Detroit Red Wings snapped a three-game preseason losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Tuesday night.

“Our penalty kill had a lot of opportunities tonight to step up, and we did,” said goalie Cam Talbot, who made 27 saves. “A bunch of guys ate some pucks up front. We weathered the storm when they were snapping it around on their power plays, but we went 6-for-6 on the PK and came out with the win.”

To kick off the scoring, after picking the pocket of Connor Bedard, Elmer Soderblom raced up the left wing and set up J.T. Compher to put Detroit ahead 1-0 just 3:36 into the opening frame.

Continuing to feed off that early momentum, the Red Wings doubled their lead when Michael Brandsegg-Nygård received a behind-the-net pass from captain Dylan Larkin in the slot and ripped in a one-timer to make it 2-0 at 9:16 of the first period. Axel Sandin-Pellikka earned the secondary assist.

“Anytime you get a two-goal lead early, it’s a nice little cushion back there,” Talbot said. “They had some opportunities there in the first where I had a make a few good saves, and that’s a confidence builder for me too. Obviously, if you let one of those go in it could be a different game early. I felt pretty comfortable throughout the game.”

The Red Wings built a 3-0 advantage before the second intermission thanks to a strong forechecking effort from Jonatan Berggren, who hustled out of the penalty box and muscled the puck away from Sam Rinzel then found Lucas Raymond in front at 16:24.

“I thought that this was his best night in the exhibition season, so maybe he can get a little bit of confidence out of it,” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said about Berggren. “The goal itself actually reminds me a little bit of him coming out of the box in Columbus last year, so he’s paying attention and aware of what’s going on. It’s a real good physical battle that he won. He’ll have to provide us with some of those moments.”

The Blackhawks broke Talbot’s shutout bid just 2:53 into the third period, as Colton Dach fired in a wrister after driving to the net to make it 3-1. However, that was as close as Chicago -- which got 16 saves from netminder Spencer Knight on the night --- pulled within before time expired.

“A much better overall performance,” McLellan said of Detroit’s sixth exhibition game. “The individuals that needed to respond with good nights did. The team as a whole did. Just a complete turnaround performance from what we had the other night.”

NEXT UP: The Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs will go head-to-head at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night.

WHAT WAS SAID

McLellan on the ongoing Opening Night roster battles as the preseason winds down

“Practices are still about putting things in place. We feel we’re beginning to feel out some things with lines. We still have players who we need to get back up to speed. Simon Edvinsson hasn’t played yet, so we’ve got to get him going. I think we’ll spend more time on special teams. They’ll play a big part in our season, and we’ll have to keep polishing them up. Still a lot of work to do.”

Talbot on the importance of exhibition reps

“It’s nice to get some of those PK reps in a game. A lot more shots and volume today. That was a lot nicer than the 30 minutes I played last week. I just feel like I couldn’t get in a rhythm last week, but tonight felt like a regular-season game. They had most of their top guys in the lineup and that’s what it’s going to feel like. I just want those reps.”