RECAP: Detroit secures ‘two big points’ with 5-4 overtime win at Montreal

MONTREAL -- It was on Dec. 28, 2022, that Jake Walman debuted his “Griddy” celebration after his game-winner in overtime capped a thrilling 5-4 victory for the Detroit Red Wings against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.

And Walman hit the Griddy again on Saturday night, this time celebrating the clutch goal he scored 54 seconds into overtime that lifted the Red Wings past the Montreal Canadiens, 5-4, at Bell Centre.

“It was good,” Walman said of his game-winning celly. “I had some practice with the first one.”

Goalie Ville Husso made 26 saves for the Red Wings, who improved to 13-7-3 (29 points) overall and have won five of their last six games. The Canadiens earned a point despite the loss, moving to 10-11-3 (23 points).

“We could have easily got down on ourselves, but it was a good team effort,” Walman said. “Those are two big points.”

Joe Veleno, a Montreal native, gave Detroit a 1-0 lead at 7:21 of the first period. Lucas Raymond sent Walman’s pass toward the net and it deflected off an opposing defenseman’s skate to Veleno, who buried the rebound for his sixth goal this season.

Christian Fischer doubled the lead at 11:44 with a short-handed goal. Canadiens netminder Jake Allen stopped Michael Rasmussen’s breakaway attempt, but Fischer followed up and made an extra-effort play to put the loose puck into the net for his first goal since Nov. 9, which was also against Montreal.

“We love him on our 5-on-5 game,” Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said about Fischer. “Moved him to center, he’s been great there.”

Daniel Sprong pushed it to 3-0 at 19:20 when he sniped home a shot after taking Moritz Seider’s pass off the rush. The Canadiens got on the scoreboard shortly after, trimming their deficit to 3-1 with seven seconds remaining in the first.

Montreal potted a short-handed goal to pull within one at 4:06 of the second period before Alex DeBrincat scored on the power play 47 seconds later for his 200th career NHL goal, giving Detroit a 4-2 lead. Seider and Sprong each picked up an assist on DeBrincat’s team-leading 13th tally this season.

“We played a lot of really good team games last year, couldn’t find goals,” Lalonde said. “This year, we’re finding those goals and (DeBrincat) is a huge part of it.”

The Canadiens converted on a man-advantage opportunity at 4:12 of the third period to make it 4-3, then tied the game at 16:01 to force overtime.

“Got to watch the third period back,” Lalonde said. “I didn’t hate it. We had chances fairly even, not too many we gave up, but we had a lot of looks too. We could have easily got our fifth goal and iced the game.”

Walman, who was assisted by Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and DeBrincat, put his stamp on Saturday's Original Six clash less than a minute into the extra frame, finishing a shot from the left face-off circle for his fifth goal this season.

“It was just me and the goalie pretty much,” Walman said. “I knew where I was going to shoot the whole time and it was set up by Larks, a great pass. He got me wide open.”

NEXT UP: Detroit will visit the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Tuesday night.

QUOTABLE

Lalonde on some of the Red Wings' struggles against Montreal

“Probably a little fatigue crept in our game, with the schedule of three (games) in four (days). Probably a little bit self-inflicted with some mistakes in that third period. And probably credit to them. They were pushing and pushing hard. Good on the guys to hang in there and get the full two points.”

Lalonde on Walman’s Griddy

“I didn’t see it. I will hear from my kids about that celebration for sure.”

Walman on his play with Seider

“It’s not always going to be sunshine and rainbows. We’re out there every night against really good guys and we get each other up for those types of games. These guys have, up and down the lineup, good players. We’re excited for those matchups, so keep it going. Can’t get too high or too low.”

Walman on Saturday's OT win

“Two points are really hard to come by in this league. If you can get that extra one, it’s going to be huge in the standings. At the end of the year, those are big points.”