RECAP: Red Wings lose lead late, recover for 5-4 overtime win against Ducks

DETROIT -- For the second time in as many days, the Detroit Red Wings let a two-goal lead slip through their fingers. However, on Sunday night, Patrick Kane ensured they grabbed two points by scoring the game-winning goal on a breakaway with one minute left in overtime to lift the Red Wings to a 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at Little Caesars Arena.

“Obviously, nice to get that one,” said Kane, who logged two goals and an assist for his second three-point performance of the season. “A little bit better feeling than last night to get the two points, but like [Moritz Seider] said, definitely got to learn from those situations.”

Still holding the Eastern Conference’s first Wild-Card spot, the Red Wings (29-22-6; 64 points) improved to 21-1-2 when leading after 40 minutes this season. As for the Ducks (25-24-7; 57 points), they saw their four-game winning streak end but extended their point streak to five straight.

“We’re happy with the win,” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said. “We got into a situation similar to last night, where the last three or four minutes we had to play 6-on-5. It’s pretty evident we have to do a better job.”

Detroit jumped all over Anaheim early, taking a 3-0 lead in the opening 5:06 of the game. Before Sunday, the last time the Red Wings potted three goals faster to start a contest was Feb. 9, 1993. The offensive outburst also marked the fastest three goals to kick off a game by any team this season.

Marco Kasper got the scoring started with his 10th goal of the season at 3:11 of the first period, the result of an extra-effort, spinning play by Lucas Raymond in the high slot.

With the Red Wings earning a 5-on-3 power play after the Ducks were called for simultaneous tripping penalties, Alex DeBrincat cashed in by cleaning up a rebound to make it 2-0 at 4:29 of the first period. DeBrincat, assisted by captain Dylan Larkin and Kane, continues to lead Detroit with 26 goals this season.

Kane scored his first goal of the night on the ensuing 5-on-4 power play, taking a feed from Seider before sniping a shot that went off the post and in past Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (31 saves) to push it to 3-0 at 5:06 of the first period.

Raymond also tallied his second assist of the opening period on Kane’s 13th goal of the season, joining Larkin and Henrik Zetterberg as the only other Red Wings player to record consecutive 40-assist seasons over the last decade.

At 8:24 of the first period, Ryan Strome put a rebound past Detroit goalie Alex Lyon (24 saves) after Troy Terry’s shot bounced off the 32-year-old netminder’s left pad to get Anaheim’s deficit to 3-1.

“Honestly, I thought we sent a really good message after the first [period] going into the second,” Seider said. “The first wasn’t up to our standard. We came out really good in the second.”

The Red Wings scored their third power-play goal of the night 2:14 into the second period, making it a 4-1 advantage. Assisted by J.T. Compher and Erik Gustafsson, Michael Rasmussen deflected the puck in for his ninth tally of the season.

Cutter Gauthier got one back for the Ducks, getting a piece of Jackson LaCombe’s shot in front to make it 4-2 at 7:04 of the second period.

McLellan didn’t have any update on Rasmussen, who exited at the end of the second period following a hit by Trevor Zegras.

“Obviously, didn’t return and is still getting checked,” McLellan said about Rasmussen. “I think when a player gets a blow to the head and doesn’t return, it’s never a good sign. But we’ll see how he is tomorrow. He seems in be in fairly good spirits, at least when I wandered by him.”

With Dostal pulled, the Ducks tied the game in a span of 79 seconds late in the third period. Olen Zellweger’s goal brought Anaheim back within 4-3 at 17:44, then Gauthier’s second of the night at 19:07 forced the extra frame.

“In the third [period], I think we played a solid game,” Seider said. “We had really good chances, stayed away from all the scrums and did a really good job. We just got to find a way to eliminate those empty-net chances. Just a little more composure, try to get the puck out as quick as possible and be in the shooting lanes at all times.”

Then in overtime, Kasper made a fantastic stretch pass to Kane, who skated in and netted the game-winner for his 14th goal of the season. It was also Kane’s 14th career NHL extra-session tally, tying J.T. Miller for third-most among U.S.-born players in League history.

“Luckily, we got two points tonight,” Seider said. “But we’ll definitely learn, analyze and then get better.”

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will have redemption on their minds when they face off against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday night.

POSTGAME QUOTES

McLellan on the explanation from the referees regarding the hit on Rasmussen

“They can’t make stuff up. I get it. If they didn’t see what happened, they can’t just make it up. That’s what they told me.”

McLellan on Andrew Copp’s status

“Copp will be out…we’ll know more tomorrow, but he won’t play in Minneapolis.”

Kane on Kasper’s awareness to get him the puck in overtime

“I think you see it a lot in overtime, where if there’s a chance one way and they don’t score it’s usually coming back the other way. I thought Mo and Marco did a great job battling there and getting the puck up to me. Seeing me right away too, behind the D.”

Kane on learning how to hold leads late

“I think just continue playing the way that we’re supposed to. It seems like we’re getting in a little bit of trouble when we sit back a little bit, but I don’t think that was the case tonight. We had plenty of chances to make it 5-2, so sometimes that’s something we can look at too: bearing down on those opportunities. Like Mo said, I think we can be a little bit harder in those 5-on-6 situations with the goalie pulled, whether it’s rimming it hard or winning the battle to get the puck out. Obviously, they got a couple shots through that went in. It happened the last two games in a row, but we can learn from it. I think we’ll definitely be better in those situations going forward.”