Daniil Tarasov gave the Detroit Red Wings exactly the kind of performance that usually earns a win, or at least a point. Instead, the Vegas Golden Knights walked out of Little Caesars Arena with a 2-1 victory after scoring twice in the third period, including the go-ahead goal with 1:42 left in regulation.
It was a tough one for Detroit to swallow. The Red Wings have now dropped three of their last four games in regulation and sit at 7-7-3. This also marked the second straight home game in which they carried a third-period lead only to give up a late goal and lose in regulation.
Detroit was also short-handed, with forwards Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton, plus defenseman Albert Johansson, still sidelined by injury.
The opening period tilted Vegas’ way, even if the scoreboard stayed blank. The Golden Knights controlled much of the play and held a 14-8 edge in shots through 20 minutes.
The second period stayed scoreless, but Detroit had chances it will want back. Emmitt Finnie came close on a partial breakaway, sending a shot just wide of the left post, and Alex DeBrincat couldn’t finish after failing to corral the puck cleanly with Carter Hart out of position.
The Red Wings finally broke through early in the third when Anton Johansson finished off a rebound off the boards after a shot from Carter Mazur.
That lead didn’t last long. Vegas answered with Braeden Bowman’s curl-and-drag wrist shot, a clean finish that beat Tarasov’s glove.
For a while, overtime looked like the likely ending. Then Trevor Connolly changed that with 1:42 remaining, slipping past Michael Rasmussen and firing a wrist shot that beat Tarasov glove side for the winner.
Detroit pulled Tarasov in the closing moments, but couldn’t find the equalizer. He finished with 32 saves, while Hart stopped 25 of 26 shots to earn the win.
The Red Wings are off until Saturday evening, when they head to Ball Arena to face the Colorado Avalanche.
In Other News...
Red Wings Face A Crucial Anton Johansson Decision On Defense
Anton Johansson has given the Red Wings enough reason to keep watching closely on the blue line. The rookie has flashed offensive upside, but the current setup next to Andreas Englund does not appear to be the cleanest fit for maximizing what Johansson can do with the puck. Detroit has already brought Jacob Bernard-Docker back into the mix, and his arrival gives the club another option as it tries to sort out the best way to support a young defenseman still finding his footing.
The timing makes the choice even more interesting, with Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson both potentially working their way back into the picture. Detroit has to balance development, lineup stability and the need to get the right pairs on the ice, and Johanssons spot is one of the more intriguing pieces in that puzzle. For now, the Red Wings are left weighing whether to keep riding the current look or make a change before the returning bodies force the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Keep Running Into The Same Costly Problem
The Red Wings latest one-goal loss came with a familiar frustration attached, as Detroit fell 2-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights despite getting goals from Carter Mazur and Anton Johansson. It was the kind of game that showed the team can get contributions from unexpected places, but also why the offense has had trouble separating itself when the margins get tight.
Depth has been the issue all season, with 15 players sitting at two goals or fewer, and that lack of secondary scoring has left Detroit leaning too heavily on narrow openings. The missed third-period power-play chances only added to the sting, and now the Red Wings have little time to dwell on it before facing the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings May Have Found Their Dylan Larkin Help Internally
Emmitt Finnie has given the Red Wings something they were not expecting to find this quickly: a young center who can step into a bigger role and make it look workable. With Dylan Larkin suspended, Finnie has moved into the top-line center spot and has already shown enough with his goals and assists to get the organization thinking differently about what it needs next.
That matters because Detroits trade conversations do not have to be so narrowly focused now. If Finnie keeps producing, the Red Wings may have a little more freedom to chase broader returns rather than treating every deal as a hunt for a young center, and that kind of internal development can change the whole shape of a deadline conversation. [Read more 🡒]