DETROIT — In a thrilling finish, Lucas Raymond netted a goal with just 51 seconds left on the clock, securing a 2-1 victory for the Detroit Red Wings against the New York Islanders on Thursday night.
Jonatan Berggren also contributed to the scoreboard, helping the Red Wings break a three-game skid. Goaltender Alex Lyon performed well with 22 saves during the match.
Simon Holmstrom was the lone scorer for the Islanders, who continue to struggle, losing five of their last six outings. The Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin had an impressive 29 saves but couldn’t prevent the loss.
Holmstrom opened the scoring at 5:51 in the first period, marking his third goal of the season. As the game progressed, it looked like the first goal might secure a win for the Islanders, but Berggren tied the game with just 4:46 remaining in regulation with his third goal. Then, in a nail-biting conclusion, Raymond capitalized on a pass from Dylan Larkin, shooting from the left circle to beat Sorokin and score his third goal of the season.
Notable points include the Islanders’ struggles on the penalty kill, having ranked last in the league prior to the match, while the Red Wings boasted the second-best power play. Despite this, the Islanders successfully denied three power plays from Detroit, with Sorokin making several critical saves.
Raymond, who had a solid season last year with 31 goals, expressed relief after his late-game success, which ended his prior frustration.
Looking back at their previous encounter last month, where the Red Wings secured a win with a single goal from Patrick Kane, it seemed like Holmstrom’s early goal could replicate that outcome until the Red Wings made a strong comeback in the last five minutes.
Historically, Detroit has shown resilience in comeback situations, with a record last season of 11-24-3 when trailing after two periods. However, this season had seen a concerning 0-8-0 record under similar circumstances until they turned the tide in this match.
Next on the schedule, the Islanders will host St. Louis on Saturday, while the Red Wings prepare to face off against Boston.