Patrick Kane scores 1st, but Detroit Red Wings lose Dylan Larkin, game (5-1) to Senators
Patrick Kane's first goal in a Detroit Red Wings uniform was overshadowed by a scary incident involving Dylan Larkin.
Larkin left Saturday's game in the first period after being punched in the head by Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph. Kane scored during a power play soon after, calming and cheering fans at Little Caesars Arena who had let officials hear it for letting Joseph off with a two-minute roughing call.
Playing with just nine forwards most of the game, the Wings absorbed a 5-1 loss.
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Goaltender Alex Lyon earned an assist on Kane's goal, which made it 1-1 a minute after Larkin's injury. Lyon fired a long pass that Alex DeBrincat picked up and sent to Kane. Kane strode in from the right flank and fired a wrist shot into the net, scoring career goal No. 452 in his second game with the Wings.
With the score at 4-1 after two periods, goalie James Reimer started the third period for the Wings, making his first appearance in more than two weeks. He was watching from the bench, however, when Jake Sanderson fired the puck the length of the ice and hit the empty net for the final score.
The Wings (14-8-4) next play Monday at the Dallas Stars.
Scary incident
The incident involving Larkin unfolded at 13:50 during a battle in front of Ottawa's net. Joseph punched Larkin in the back of the head, sending him into Ottawa forward Parker Kelly, who responded by cross-checking Larkin. Larkin lay motionless on the ice for several minutes while being tended to by medical staff. Eventually, he was able to get up and be helped off by teammates. The team announced about 30 minutes later that Larkin was still undergoing evaluation and would not return to the game.
Joseph and Kelly each received two-minute minors. Christian Fischer sent a message to Joseph by fighting him in the third period.
As Larkin went down, David Perron responded with a retaliation against the wrong guy, cross-checking Artem Zub and sending him to the ice. Perron was assessed a five-minute major for cross-checking and a game misconduct for attempt to injury. That left the Wings with nine forwards for the rest of the game, as J.T. Compher (injured) and Klim Kostin did not play.
Senators take advantage
The Senators took an early lead on a power play goal from Claude Giroux. The Wings seemed poised for an equalizer when they had 3:22 minutes worth of power play time, 38 seconds of it 5-on-3, but Joonas Korpisalo turned away all seven shots. The Senators scored again on a power play early in the second period, with Vladimir Tarasenko making it 2-1. Former Wings forward Dominik Kubalik, sent to Ottawa in the deal that brought DeBrincat to Detroit, scored on a slap shot at 8:36 of the second period, and Tim Stützle added a goal at 18:56.
Vernon's night
The Wings celebrated former goaltender Mike Vernon, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last month. Vernon dropped a ceremonial puck after a video montage of his career highlights. Vernon played for the Wings from 1995-1997, backstopping them to the '97 Stanley Cup championship.
"I did have a lot of good memories here," Vernon said. "We had good teams and we were always competing for a championship or on the verge of it. It’s always nice to come back."
Vernon also said he thinks Chris Osgood, a '97 teammate who was in net for the '98 and '08 Cups and has won 401 NHL games, will join him in the Hall one day.
"I had an advocate in the Calgary Flames organization that put some stuff together and sent it in to the Hall of Fame and kind of made your case for it," Vernon said. "That’s kind of what you have to do, I gather. In Ozzy’s case, in time, I think he will get there. I think he just has to be patient."
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings waste Patrick Kane's 1st goal in 5-1 loss to Ottawa
