RECAP: Special teams at forefront for Red Wings in ‘big win’ at Jets, 4-2

WINNIPEG -- The Detroit Red Wings rose to the occasion against the top club in the NHL on Saturday night, grabbing a first-period lead and never trailing in an eventual 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre.

“It’s a big win, for sure,” said Lucas Raymond, who had a power-play goal and two assists for his 13th multi-point game and first three-point performance of the season. “I feel like we’ve played some really good hockey lately, and we continued that tonight. Obviously, they’re a great team and they put us under pressure but we kind of weathered that and kept going.”

Special teams were paramount for the Red Wings (17-18-4; 38 points), who won their fourth straight game behind a 2-for-3 performance on the power play and 2-for-2 effort on the penalty kill. The Jets (27-12-2; 56 points), who dropped their third contest in a row, entered the night with the NHL’s best power-play success rate (32 percent).

“They’ve done a really good job,” head coach Todd McLellan said about Detroit’s special teams. “Coming in as a new staff, Trent [Yawney] and I, and joining the group that’s here, the focus went on penalty killing. The power play was doing a pretty good job. There hasn’t been many tweaks there, a few things we’ve talked about, but certainly the penalty kill has been a total revamp. Winnipeg didn’t get many opportunities but when they did, we held our ground and did our jobs.”

Captain Dylan Larkin put Detroit ahead, 1-0, with a power-play goal 6:25 into the game. He grabbed a loose puck from behind the goal line and sent it up to Moritz Seider at the point, whose one-timer pass went to Lucas Raymond just above the left face-off circle. Raymond got the puck back to Larkin, who skated into the lower half of the right face-off circle before firing a wrister over Winnipeg netminder Connor Hellebuyck’s shoulder.

With the tally, his first of the night and 15th of the season, Larkin extended his goal-scoring streak to three straight games as well as pushed his point streak to match a season-high five consecutive contests.

In the first period, the Red Wings also outshot the Jets, 17-7.

“We’re getting high shot volume,” Raymond said. “I think we’re realizing what that creates.”

The two clubs traded goals in the second period.

Lighting the lamp on another power play, Raymond’s quick shot from the left face-off circle deflected off Neal Pionk’s stick and into the cage to push Detroit ahead 2-0 at 4:33. Moritz Seider and Patrick Kane got the assists on Raymond’s 16th goal of the campaign.

“Obviously, our power play has been clicking all year,” said goalie Alex Lyon, who finished with 21 saves. “Courtesy of those guys to keep it rolling against a good D-core and good goalie there.”

But only 1:15 later, Josh Morrissey converted a shot from the point to bring the Jets back within a goal, 2-1.

Alex DeBrincat made it a two-goal game once again at 7:14 of the third period, capping a give-and-go with Kane for his team-leading 17th tally of the season that made it 3-1.

Winnipeg threatened late, as Nikolaj Ehlers tipped home Poink’s shot from the blue line to make it 3-2 at 16:45 of the third period.

Hellebuyck, who made 25 saves, was pulled before Larkin’s empty-net goal at 19:36 put the game away for good. The assists on the play went to Raymond and Seider.

It was Larkin’s 16th goal of the season and his second of the game, also marking his second multi-goal contest this year. Larkin last lit the lamp twice, also on the power play, against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 2.

“We got to keep it rolling,” Lyon said. “Whether we win or lose, we’re set out to play the right way and fortunately, we got the win tonight against a very good team. It feels good, but we just got a lot more work to do. Enjoy it for a little bit and move on.”

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will open a three-game homestand on Tuesday night, first welcoming the Ottawa Senators to Little Caesars Arena.

POSTGAME QUOTES

McLellan on how his club is playing coming out of the NHL’s holiday break

“The belief system has grown. It’s got stronger over the last 10 days, which is essential. Structurally, we’ve adjusted a few things. We can do all of that, but unless you have a receptive classroom and players that are willing to change or learn, you have no chance. I give the players credit for moving the train forward, if you will.”

Raymond on the penalty kill’s performance

“It’s huge, right? We knew coming into the game that they have a really good power play -- the best in the league. Penalty kill was a huge part and able to get two on the power play. Good game.”