Wings overcome early goalie injury, roll past Utah

Despite losing their starting goaltender less than two minutes into the game, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the host Utah Hockey Club 5-1 on Monday night.

Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist and Elmer Soderblom, Marco Kasper, Austin Watson and Tyler Motte also scored for the Red Wings (33-31-6, 72 points), who won for just the third time in 12 games.

Detroit, which got two assists from Simon Edvinsson, is three points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Petr Mrazek made a save on Dylan Guenther 1:38 into the game, was injured and went to the locker room. That was the only shot Mrazek faced. He was replaced by Alex Lyon, who stopped 16 shots.

Guenther got the goal for the Utah Hockey Club (32-28-11, 75 points), who had won three of their last four and are six points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Karel Vejmelka made nine saves.

Kasper was credited with the marker that gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead 1:34 into the second period. His attempted pass from along the goal line went in off the leg of Utah's Lawson Crouse. DeBrincat got an assist for his 500th career point.

Watson gave Detroit a two-goal lead 9:51 into the third period when his mid-air tip of a shot deflected in a high arch and then down over the shoulder of Vejmelka and into the net. It was Watson's first goal since Dec. 31, 2023.

DeBrincat added an empty-net goal, his team-leading 33rd of the season, with 2:54 left and Motte scored with 1:28 remaining.

The game was tied 1-1 after the first.

Guenther opened the scoring with a power-play goal 3:46 into the game on a one-time shot from the inside part of the left circle. It was his team-leading 26th of the season.

But Soderblom tied it 1:22 later. In his return after missing a game with a lower-body injury, Soderblom capitalized on a one-timer from the inside edge of the right circle on a 2-on-1 rush off a pass from Vladimir Tarasenko.

--Field Level Media