RECAP: Red Wings collect an important point, but handed another tough ending in 4-3 shootout loss to Blue Jackets

DETROIT -- Knowing very well that every point down this home stretch could make or break their goal of securing a 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs berth, the Detroit Red Wings felt like they let a big one slip away in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday night.

“We know the situation we’re in and, obviously, points are at a premium,” Justin Faulk said. “Tough to let that one get away from us there at the end of the third and for them to get back in it. Obviously, a chance in overtime and shootout’s a coin flip. Tough to not seal that one up.”

Goaltender John Gibson made 32 saves for the Red Wings (40-29-9; 89 points), who not only saw their home-ice winless streak reach five straight games but now trail the Ottawa Senators (41-27-10; 92 points) by three points for the Eastern Conference’s second Wild-Card spot. As for the Blue Jackets (39-27-12; 90 points), they stayed two points behind the Senators and ended a six-game winless skid behind 34 saves from netminder Jet Greaves.

“Not a lot of complaints about the effort, intensity,” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said. “It felt like a pretty even game. A lot of battles, a lot of blocked shots. Those are all good signs for our team. We got a point, and that point may keep us alive. There’s still points on the table. We have to come back, have a good practice tomorrow and get ready to play Philly. We’re in must-win territory now, so we’re still there.”

Although the Red Wings surrendered the game-opening goal to Danton Heinen -- he was in the slot when he finished off Mason Marchment’s centering pass from in front of the goal line -- just 2:04 into the first period, they made good on their first man advantage of the night a little bit later.

“We didn’t like going down 1-0 that quick, but in the past few weeks when that has happened, we’ve gone away for a little while and all of a sudden it’s two or three,” McLellan said. “I thought we performed well and got ourselves back into the game.”

Larkin saw Alex DeBrincat at the backdoor while the pair of Detroit forwards were down low, and his attempted cross-crease feed was blocked by Erik Gudbranson but fortunately bounced right back for him to sneak it through Greaves’ five-hole to make it 1-1 at 10:27. The assists on Larkin’s 31st goal of the season went to Patrick Kane and Moritz Seider.

“I thought he moved better and had more of an impact on the game,” McLellan said of Larkin. “He was taking pucks to the net, which is always a good sign…Tonight, he was doing that.”

Having missed the past two games because of a lower-body injury, Faulk scored his first goal of the night at 6:27 of the second period to give the Red Wings their first lead. He grabbed Larkin’s cross-ice pass into space at the red line, cut to the middle and used a burst of speed to split Columbus’ defensive pair of Gudbranson and Jake Christiansen in the offensive zone before beating Greaves to make it 2-1. Ben Chiarot recorded the secondary assist.

Fifty-nine seconds after the 10-minute mark of the middle stanza, Zach Werenski’s power-play goal tied it back up 2-2. Denton Mateychuk and Werenski exchanged the puck just below the blue line, a back-and-forth that created some open ice for the Grosse Pointe, Mich., native to utilize. He slowed as he approached the top of the left face-off circle, then buried a wrist shot.

The Red Wings snapped that tie with 4:46 remaining in the third period on Faulk’s second goal of the night. Following an offensive-zone face-off win for Andrew Copp, the puck went to Alex DeBrincat and then to Faulk at the point for a heck of a one-timer that made it 3-2.

Tuesday’s contest -- the second of Detroit’s final regular-season homestand that is four games long -- marked Faulk’s second multi-goal game and eighth multi-point performance of the season. The 34-year-old blueliner also netted two goals with the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 20.

“He’s been playing injured, one,” McLellan said of Faulk. “The time off, perhaps, got him a little healthier. But, he does have a tremendous shot. He’s got some offensive instincts. He’s got 14 goals now. That’s significant for any defenseman in the National Hockey League, so that’s what we thought we’d be getting.”

Greaves was on the bench when Columbus answered right before the final horn blared, as Adam Fantilli tied it with a quick slap shot from the right face-off circle that went in off Gibson’s shoulder to make it 3-3 at 19:43 of the third period.

“It’s a play they do,” Larkin said of the Blue Jackets’ game-tying goal, which pushed things past regulation. “Zach pump fakes and then just chops it over. It’s a bang-bang play, but we got opportunities to get the puck out, do it the right way, have a little bit of poise when the net is empty and put the game away. We chopped it around. J.T. was so good on face-offs, and of course the one we don’t get is in the back of our net…I think we go up 4-2, the game is on ice.”

In the shootout, DeBrincat and Kane scored for Detroit while Kent Johnson, Charlie Coyle and Werenski found the back of the net for Columbus.  

“That’s a disappointing finish to that game,” Larkin said. “We’re going to have to find something. I hope that’s not the one, and I hope the Minnesota one isn’t the one that’s the final nail in the coffin. I hope we get some help and we have something to play for to get in.”

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will entertain the Philadelphia Flyers to Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night.

WHAT WAS SAID

McLellan on Michael Rasmussen, who exited with a lower-body injury and didn't return

“I think he’s probably going to miss a few more games again. He blocked a shot basically in the exact same spot. So, I don’t know if he’s starting over or not, but couldn’t return and I doubt he’ll practice tomorrow.”

Larkin on what positives they can take from Tuesday’s contest

“Not much right now. Not much. That’s a letdown and in tough fashion again. Played a good 57 minutes, I don’t know. Good overtime. Not much to say right now.”

Larkin on Faulk’s impact on the back end

“Huge lift for our team, him coming back in and playing that way. Even Axe coming back and making plays, having an impact last game. I think Faulker, just playing against him for so many years, the way he closes guys down and, you know, if he’s on you, you’re in trouble and you better get rid of it quick because when he closes his stick, his feet, he’s all over you. It’s nice to have a defenseman like that and I think it slots our D really nicely.”

Faulk on another lead getting away from them late

“It’s tough. Like I said, it’s a tough time of year. It’s important to close out games, extend games. It’s not a good feeling right now to let that happen.”