Red Wings move into playoff position with 3-2 OT win over Canucks

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News on Feb 2, 2025

Published in Hockey

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VANCOUVER, B.C.— The Detroit Red Wings have moved from a head coaching change and being near the bottom of the standings to, on Sunday, skating into an Eastern Conference playoff spot.

The Wings completed the five-week transformation with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Vancouver Canucks. It was the Wings' sixth consecutive victory and put the Wings, with 59 points into a wild-card spot, one point ahead of Tampa Bay and Boston.

The Wings (27-21-5) are 14-4-1 since Todd McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde as head coach on December 26, when the season was at its low point.

Vancouver's Filip Chytil, acquired Friday, tied the game 2-2 midway in the third period.

Ben Chiarot's goal in the second period, a floater from the point, broke a 1-1 tie at 5 minutes 54 seconds of the second period.

Alex DeBrincat and Vancouver's Pius Suter, a former Wing, traded first period goals. DeBrincat cut the through slot and ripped a shot past goaltender Kevin Lankinen for DeBrincat's 22nd goal at 6:14. Suter redirected a shot at 4:19, his 14th goal.

With a little over a minute left in overtime, it was DeBrincat again, putting the puck past Lankinen and sealing the win and the two points to leapfrog Boston, Columbus and Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Wings complete the four-game road trip Tuesday in Seattle.

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