St. Louis – It took a shootout but the Red Wings finally earned a much-needed, and the way this game evolved, much-deserved, win.
Lucas Raymond scored the lone goal in a four-round shootout as the Red Wings defeated the St. Louis Blues, 3-2, ending a three-game losing streak.
Magnus Hellberg, after a rough first period, settled down, then stopped all four shots in the shootout to secure the Wings’ victory.
The victory was only the third in the last 13 games for the Wings (3-9-1), who moved back above .500 (31-30-9).
“It’s been a tough stretch lately as you all know,” Hellberg said. “So winning a back-to-back game, we played yesterday and they didn’t, it shows a lot of character from our team and that we can come up with a win.”
The Wings outshot the Blues 30-22, killed all three St. Louis power plays while scoring a power-play goal of their own, and generally had command of the game the entire night.
“We got what we deserved,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “I really appreciated the effort from the guys on a back to back, with travel, then to get down early in the game, we could have won this in regulation.
BOX SCORE: Red Wings 3, Blues 2 (SO)
“I loved that we hung in there and in overtime and found a way in the shootout.”
Alex Chiasson (power play) and Filip Zadina had the Wings’ goals.
Robert Bortuzzo and Marco Scandella answered with the goals for St. Louis.
Bortuzzo opened the scoring just 2:21 into the game. Bortuzzo saw an opening and skated deep into the zone, then flipped a shot that flew over Hellberg for Bortuzzo’s second goal this season.
But the Wings answered with Chiasson scoring his fourth goal, all on the power play. David Perron slid a pass into the crease area where Chiasson, all alone, beat goaltender Joel Hofer, tying the game 1-1 at 7:49.
The Blues regained the lead on Scandella’s first goal. Scandella took a shot from the point that appeared to surprise, or Hellberg simply wasn’t yet set, but Scandella’s goal made it 2-1 St. Louis at 10:03.
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“That was a tough goal (to allow),” Lalonde said. “I loved the way he battled back. It’s the nature of the position. You give up a goal like that, but you battle back.”
Hellberg was pleased to rebound, but also credited the players in front of him.
“We came out great in the second, we didn’t give them a lot,” Hellberg said. “I’m really happy with how the team and I bounced back after the first. We played some real good hockey.”
The Wings tied it 2-2 on Zadina’s third goal, near the end of the first period. Hofer allowed a long rebound on Dominik Kubalik’s drive, with the puck going to Zadina near the dot. Zadina beat Hofer before the goalie was able to recover, at 17:47.
Most of this game from the Blues’ fans perspective was cheering former fan favorite Perron, who received a nicely done video tribute and enormous cheers once the video ended.
“It was extremely humbling,” said Perron, who was emotional after the video and accompanying cheering. “I don’t know even, going on the ice in warmups and seeing all the signs, I never experienced anything like that. I had to gather myself in warmup, and once again even getting the assist and hearing the cheers again. These fans are unbelievable and it means a lot.
“I had to just try and stay composed for a bit and I barely did it.”
Lalonde felt it was a fitting evening for one of the Wings’ respected veterans, who meant to such to the Blues’ organization before signing as a free agent with the Blues last summer.
“I was just joking that was the loudest road assist I’ve ever heard be cheered,” Lalonde said. “That speaks volumes of him and his tribute and what he meant to this organization. It’s just the type of player and person he is.”
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan