RECAP: Red Wings 'showed some emotion and battled' to defeat Predators, 4-2, in finale of three-game road trip

NASHVILLE -- Ending their three-game road trip on a high note -- pun intended -- in the Music City, the Detroit Red Wings secured a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Monday afternoon.

“We stick together,” said Marco Kasper, who dished out a pair of assists for his fourth multi-point game of the season. “I think we showed some emotion and battled as a team. That’s what important these last few games here now, and we just got to continue with that. We got to take care of the defensive side of the puck, play as a team and grind out those games.”

Detroit (35-20-6; 76 points) also had to make a goalie change, as John Gibson didn’t return for the second period due to an upper-body injury that resulted in Cam Talbot making 18 saves in relief. In the opposite crease, netminder Juuse Saros finished with 27 saves for Nashville (27-25-8; 62 points).

“We talked about starting off these last 24 games on the right foot, and I thought that we had a good start in Ottawa there and kind of took a step back in Carolina,” Talbot said. “This was a big one for us to finish off the trip and go home for a couple games before we go back on the road. Obviously, a big two points here [this afternoon] and we got to bring that back home.”

Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan explained Gibson didn’t play the final 40 minutes because “right at the end of the [first] period, he took a shot up high in the shoulder area.”

“Kind of like a stinger, if you will,” McLellan said. “And when you get those, you don’t get the feeling back right away. I think he’s okay now. He’s walking around. We’ll have him looked at when we get home.”

Emmitt Finnie’s first goal since Dec. 23, also his 10th of the season, came just before the five-minute mark of the opening frame and gave Detroit an early 1-0 advantage. Mason Appleton initiated the sequence by sending the puck in from above the right face-off circle that Kasper redirected and Saros stopped, but that produced a rebound directly in front of the net for the 20-year-old rookie forward to clean up at 4:51.

“It felt good,” Finnie said. “Good play by Marco getting it to Apps, then Apps with a great play to Marco in front. I was just fortunate to be there in the right spot to put it in.”

However, that first-period lead lasted until 17:02, when Nashville answered back using a power-play goal from Filip Forsberg – he was at the top of the right face-off circle when he one-timed Luke Evangelista’s feed from the goal line past Gibson – to tie it 1-1.

Jonathan Marchessault forced a turnover that led to his tap-in goal, which put the Predators in front for the first and only time 2-1 at 7:10 of the second period. Just 2:35 later, Lucas Raymond’s 20th of the campaign made it 2-2. Following a pass from Andrew Copp in the neutral zone, Alex DeBrincat skated into the left face-off circle before finding Raymond at the far post for the tying goal.

The Red Wings got another goal ahead of the second intermission, this one while short-handed for their first of such kind by a blueliner since Mortiz Seider did so on March 12, 2023. Albert Johansson, who was assisted by Appleton and Kasper, buried a slap shot on a 2-on-1 rush to make it 3-2 at 16:36. 

For Johansson, it was his second tally of the season and first since Jan. 12.

“I saw Albert up there,” Kasper said. “He was far ahead…I was just trying to put myself in to see if I can shoot it then pass it. I found Albert, and he made a really nice finish.”

Sealing the deal for Detroit in the final minute of the third period, DeBrincat scored an empty-net goal at 19:33 for the 4-2 final. Raymond had the lone assist on DeBrincat’s team-leading 31st goal of the campaign, also marking his 200th career NHL helper.

In addition to Kasper, Raymond, DeBrincat and Appleton each recorded multi-point afternoons.

“For Talbs to come in and pinch-hit the way he did was impressive,” McLellan said. “I liked the energy from all the lines and the way they were compiled. We’ll leave Nashville with two points. That’s what we came for, so we’re happy.”

NEXT UP: On Wednesday night, the Red Wings will be back at Little Caesars Arena for the first time since Jan. 31 to host the Vegas Golden Knights.

WHAT WAS SAID

McLellan on bouncing back from Saturday’s loss in Carolina

“We’ve answered the bell when it hasn’t gone real well for us. Expected the group to put in a real good effort. That doesn’t always guarantee a win, but everybody chipped in. We got some 5-on-5 scoring. Makes a big difference.”

Finnie on Monday’s win

“I thought we played well right from the start. Coming into this, we knew it was like a must-win for us so I thought we responded pretty well.”

Talbot on jumping in between the pipes in relief

“It’s never easy. I feel like 1 o’clock games are even tougher because there’s no [morning] skate, no nothing. You don’t get many shots in warmups, so these games, you know, you just got to go in there and battle. That’s all you can do. Obviously, they get a quick one there on me and I just tried to settle down after that, keep finding the puck and the saves I needed to make to give us a chance.”