Detroit’s Lucas Raymond notched a goal and assist, goaltender Daniil Tarasov stopped 31 shots, and the Red Wings snapped a season-long five-game losing streak by blanking the host Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on Saturday night.
Raymond hit the net in the second period and assisted on Michael Brandsegg-Nygard’s empty-net tally, while Tarasov recorded his second shutout this season and third of his career. Andrew Copp added an assist in his 800th NHL game.
Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 20 shots in the Tampa Bay net as its franchise-record eight-game home winning streak to start a season ended.
The contest was much different for Detroit than the 5-4 thriller the club played Thursday against the host Florida Panthers when the Wings had a late three-goal lead in the second period evaporate.
During the penalty-free first period, offensive opportunities were in extremely short supply. The Lightning generated most of the firepower, holding a 9-5 advantage in shots, but Vasilevskiy and Tarasov kept it scoreless with flawless play in the blue paint.
The Lightning’s top duo, red-hot Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel, had a fine chance early into the second, but Tarasov made a pad save on Hagel’s slot shot. He kept a loose puck in his crease from crossing the goal line on a subsequent attack.
After Tarasov stopped a slam dunk attempt at the post by Jake Guentzel, Raymond made a skillful skate-to-stick possession to record the match’s first goal at 13:12 on a breakaway.
The left wing gathered a long pass from William Wallinder, kicked it to his stick, raced in alone and zipped a shot over the outstretched left pad of Vasilevskiy for his eighth goal.
Detroit was much better offensively as they recorded 12 shots on goal, and Tarasov denied all 13 shots by the Lightning as they pushed for the tie.
The Red Wings had a crucial penalty kill after Ben Chiarot went off for tripping Hagel at 7:40 of the third, but the visitors held on during the Lightning’s final push before Brandsegg-Nygard one-timed his fourth goal into the empty cage on a pass from Raymond for the final margin at 19:17.
