RECAP: Red Wings can’t overcome early deficit, costly second period in 5-3 loss at Rangers

NEW YORK -- The Detroit Red Wings tried staging a third-period rally, but an early deficit and costly middle frame proved too much to overcome in a 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

Goalie Ville Husso made 27 saves and collected his first career NHL point with an assist for the Red Wings, who fell to 7-5-1 (15 points) overall. With the win, the Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers (9-2-1; 19 points) extended their point streak to eight straight games.

“You don’t want to be in a hole and dig yourself out,” Shayne Gostisbehere said. “You just want to have a good start and again, is something we’re still looking for.”

New York jumped on Detroit early, grabbing a 1-0 lead just 1:40 into the game and finishing with a 13-5 shot advantage through 20 minutes.

“(The Rangers) just got to a simpler game quick,” Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said. “They established a forecheck and put pucks on net. You just build momentum off putting pucks on net.”

The Rangers broke things open with four unanswered second-period goals. New York scored twice on the power play in a 44-second span before the mid-way point of the frame, pulling ahead, 3-0. After extending it, 4-0, at 11:21, the Rangers built a five-goal lead just 2:49 later.

“Back-to-back power-play goals for them makes it 3-0,” Andrew Copp said. “And makes it really tough. I just think we got to find a way to get the first (goal)."

At 7:55 of the third period, Michael Rasmussen snapped New York goaltender Jonathan Quick’s shutout bid to make it 5-1. Ben Chiarot and Jeff Petry recorded the assists on Rasmussen’s second goal of the season.

Klim Kostin cut Detroit's deficit, 5-2, just 20 seconds later. After taking a pass from Chiarot along the boards, Kostin cut into the slot and sent a backhander past Quick for his first goal with the Red Wings. Christian Fischer had the secondary assist on the play.

Copp, who was assisted by J.T. Compher and Husso, concluded the scoring at 13:49 for the 5-3 final. It was Copp's fifth goal of the season, and second in as many games.

Robby Fabbri, playing his first game since the Red Wings' season opener at the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 12, logged 12:42 of ice time on Tuesday.

“We’re going to have these games in an 82-game year,” Gostisbehere said. “I think for us, we just got to move on from it and take the positives.”

NEXT UP: Detroit will host the Montreal Canadiens Thursday for the debut of Sweden Night at Little Caesars Arena. The first 7,500 fans in attendance will receive a Tomas Holmstrom Bobblehead, presented by Huntington Bank.

QUOTABLE

Lalonde on Husso finishing Tuesday’s game

“I was a little worried about leaving him out to dry, but he was confident that he was going to have a strong third and he was right. It was a good call. I think it helped him build his game a little bit.”

Copp on Detroit playing from behind

“We got to figure out a way to score the first goal one of these games. They were throwing a lot of pucks at the net, so it seemed like it was more chaos than it really was in the first (period). But still, we have to figure out a way to get momentum and we just couldn’t find it.”

Copp on finishing 0-for-6 on the power play against the Rangers

“They have some really good penalty killers over there, for sure. I think we still got some good chances, but I felt like sometimes our selection was off. Either we were shooting one when we didn’t really have anyone in front of the net yet or we were maybe passing up a few open looks.”