Although he lost his starting painter less than two minutes into the game, Detroit Red Wings defeated Utah Hockey Club 5-1 on Monday evening.
Alex Debrincat had a goal and an assist and Elmer Soderblom, Marco Kasper, Austin Watson and Tyler Motte also scored for Red Wings (33-31-6, 72 points), which won for only the third time in 12 matches.
Detroit, who received two assists from Simon Edvinsson, is three points from the second joke card in the eastern conference.
Petr Mrazek made a rescue on Dylan Guenther 1:38 into the game, injured and went to the dressing room. It was the only shot Mrazek met. He was replaced by Alex Lyon, who stopped 16 shots.
Guenther got the goal for Utah Hockey Club (32-28-11, 75 points), which had won three of his last four and is six points from the second Wild-Card place in the Western Conference. Karel Vejmelka made nine rescues.
Kasper was credited with the marker who gave the red wings a 2-1 lead 1:34 into the second period. His attempt to walk along the finish line went outside the leg of Utah’s Lawson Crouse. Debrincat got help for its 500th career point.
Watson gave Detroit a two -goal lead at 9:51 into the third period when his air tip of a shot was diverted in a high bow and then down over the shoulder on Vejmelka and into the net. It was Watson’s first goal since December 31, 2023.
Debrincat added an empty net goal, his team-leading 33rd season, with 2:54 left and Motte made 1:28 left.
The game was tied 1-1 after the first.
Guenther opened the point with a Power-Play goal 3:46 into the game on a disposable shot from the inner part of the left circle. It was his team -leading 26th season.
But Soderblom tied it 1:22 later. In its return after missing a game with a lower bodily injury capitalized Soderblom on a timer from the inner edge of the right circle on a 2-against-1-rushing from a pass from Vladimir Tarasenko.
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