In Detroit, the visiting Ottawa Senators hit for three power play goals, and two shorthanded strikes in a 6-3 win over the Red Wings in a Saturday matinee.
Ottawa improved to 14-14-2with their fourth straight win.
Cam Talbot made 29 saves in the win.
“After the start we had, I think we should be proud of getting back to .500 this quickly,” Ottawa’s Claude Giroux said. “There was a point where it didn’t look good for us, but we started putting some games together and found a way to be consistent.”
Detroit has lost five in a row and dropped to 13-11-6.
“When you allow five goals on special teams, you aren’t going to have a chance,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “What’s really disappointing is that two of the three power-play goals were literally from our stick to their stick and in. You have a broken play and it is in the back of the net.”
Detroit got first period goals from Joe Veleno and Jake Walman, around a strike from Ottawa’s Drake Batherson, his first of two on the afternoon.
“I had some time over there after a nice play by [DeBrincat] and I saw a little opening and tried to surprise the goalie,” Batherson said. “I think it went in off his helmet or something.”
Thomas Chabot tied it on a power play late in the first, 2-2.
“Early in the year, we were getting the big save or the big goal at the right time, and right now, that’s not happening for us,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said. “We have to find a way to get that, whatever it takes.”
Batherson picked up his second in the middle frame on the power play for a 3-2 lead, but Detroit replied with a goal from Filip Hronek on a two-skater advantage to tie it, 3-3.
Giroux scored off the power play in the ninth minute of the third for a 4-3, lead and Tyler Motte hit for a shorthanded goal for a 5-3 advantage.
The Sens’ second shorthanded goal was picked up by Austin Watson who potted it into an empty net.
“In November, we probably find a way to lose that game, because we weren’t comfortable in those situations,” Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said. “But after everything we’ve learned together, we know that we can elevate our game even more in the situations where it means the most.”
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Ville Husso made 22 saves in the Detroit loss.
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