In a thrilling matchup at Little Caesars Arena, the Red Wings edged out the Canadiens 3-1, with Alex DeBrincat sealing the deal with a game-winning goal late in the third period. While Mike Matheson's slip caught the spotlight, coach Martin St. Louis had his attention elsewhere, scrutinizing the performance of his second line.
Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, and Ivan Demidov had a rough night, logging the least ice time on the team and finishing with a combined minus-4 rating. Meanwhile, Juraj Slafkovsky, despite his minus-2 rating, found a way to shine by breaking the Canadiens' power-play drought and scoring their only goal.
This game, a precursor to playoff intensity, saw goaltender Jakub Dobes stand tall in his second consecutive start, making 25 saves and keeping the Habs in contention.
The Canadiens faced challenges with forward Josh Anderson sidelined due to an upper-body injury and defenseman Arber Xhekaj sitting out as a healthy scratch, leaving them short on size. The first period might have been scoreless, but it wasn't without its fireworks, highlighted by Zachary Bolduc's collision with Wings goalie John Gibson.
The deadlock broke late in the second period when Slafkovsky netted his 13th power-play goal of the season, marking his 25th overall. With a point-per-game pace since December and a five-game point streak, Slafkovsky continues to be a bright spot for the Canadiens.