DETROIT — On Friday night, Mitch Marner celebrated his third career hat trick, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 victory over the struggling Detroit Red Wings. This loss marked a disappointing start for Todd McClellan, who was overseeing his first game as head coach of the Red Wings.
In a noteworthy performance, David Kampf tallied his first goal of the season during his 500th career game, while Nicolas Robertson also found the net for Toronto. Team captain John Tavares contributed with a pair of assists, and goalie Joseph Woll made a commendable 23 saves to help secure the win.
The Red Wings recently parted ways with head coach Derek Lalonde, with general manager Steve Yzerman making the decision on Thursday. McClellan took over the coaching duties; he has previously managed teams like San Jose, Edmonton, and Los Angeles, but did not have the immediate desired effect on the team’s performance.
For the Red Wings, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson managed to score during the third period, but it was not enough to alter the game’s outcome. Goaltender Cam Talbot started but faced a tough time, conceding five goals on 21 shots before being replaced by Alex Lyon at the start of the third period, who ended up making two saves.
Marner showcased his skill by scoring twice at even strength and once on a power play—all within the first two periods. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs missed star forward Auston Matthews for the third consecutive game due to an upper body injury.
**Takeaways:** The Maple Leafs demonstrated their offensive strength, bouncing back from recent home losses against the New York Islanders and Winnipeg. They have notably scored five or more goals in their last four victorious outings. For the Red Wings, the team faced boos after being shut out 4-0 by St. Louis in Lalonde’s final game, and the coaching change didn’t bring about an immediate resurgence.
**Key Moment:** The highlight of the game was a skilled play by Tavares, who executed a behind-the-back, between-the-legs pass to Marner, setting up his opening goal at 8:16 of the first period and putting the Maple Leafs ahead 2-0.
**Key Stat:** Tavares has an impressive record against the Red Wings, amassing 54 points in just 39 career games.
Looking ahead, the Maple Leafs are set to host the Washington Capitals on Saturday, while the Red Wings will also face the Capitals, playing them on Sunday.
