RECAP: Larkin scores twice in Red Wings’ 5-2 win against Capitals

DETROIT – Captain Dylan Larkin scored two goals for the Detroit Red Wings in a 5-2 preseason win against the Washington Capitals at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday night.  

Austin Czarnik opened the scoring for Detroit at 7:19 of the first period when he took prospect Cross Hanas’ pass and snapped a shot in on Capitals goalie Hunter Shepard’s blocker side from the left face-off circle.  

“Austin is a guy who we really trust as a coaching staff,” Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said. “You saw that last year. We have full confidence in him in any situation. He’s smart, predictable and we can play him anywhere. I’m glad he had some success tonight to get us going with the goal.”

Doubling the lead for Detroit later in the first, Moritz Seider scored a power-play goal from the point to make it 2-0 at 13:12. Lucas Raymond fed Seider off a Robby Fabbri pass from behind the goal line prior to Seider’s second preseason tally.

Just 2:46 into the middle frame, and seconds after a 5-on-3 power play expired, Larkin received a cross-crease feed from Alex DeBrincat and scored to push Detroit’s advantage to 3-0. Raymond also assisted on the man-advantage goal.

Washington trimmed it to 3-1 on a power play at 8:47, but Hanas put the Red Wings back ahead by three at 13:20. Andrew Copp and prospect Nate Danielson both picked up helpers.

“It was pretty special,” Hanas said about his second-period goal. “It was kind of like my first game at home too, for any game up here. I didn’t get one last preseason, so it was really cool to be out there at LCA with the fans and stuff.”

With five minutes remaining before the second intermission, the Capitals scored again to make it 4-2.

At 5:42 of the third, Detroit went ahead, 5-2, while playing 4-on-4 when Larkin, who was assisted by DeBrincat and Justin Holl, scored his second goal of the game.

Red Wings goalie Ville Husso made 15 saves in his preseason debut. Netminder Michael Hutchinson, who is currently on a professional tryout, had 12 saves in relief.

Fabbri exited Saturday’s game in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return.

“Probably being a little cautious there,” Lalonde said about Fabbri. “If he doesn’t practice tomorrow, I think we’ll expect him sometime early in the week to practice. I don’t think it’s anything long term.”

Detroit improved its preseason record to 2-1-0, while Washington dropped to 1-1-1.

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will host the Chicago Blackhawks at Little Caesars Arena Sunday night for the second half of a preseason back-to-back.

QUOTABLE

Lalonde on Marco Kasper dropping the gloves late in the game

“That’s part of the experience. Obviously, that’s a different weight class and height for him. But that’s all part of it.”

Hanas on his offseason training

“It was a little bit of everything. Rehab takes quite a long time with an injury like I had and then after that, it was just a lot of strengthening stuff. I kind of got a full summer in, but I missed most of the season last year.”

Hanas on his preseason experience

“I just try to take every day as a blessing. It’s great to be out there. LCA is a beautiful arena. It’s pretty crazy. Marco, I remember, it was his first game too. We were on the bench right before puck drop and we look at each other like, ‘Holy smokes. This is sweet.’ It’s just super fun to be out there.”