DETROIT — The New Year remains to be seen, but the Red Wings certainly had an enjoyable New Year's Eve.
It didn't start off great, but three-goal flurry in just 1 minute, 55 seconds sent the Wings to a 4-2 victory over Ottawa.
Trailing 2-1, the Wings received goals from Lucas Raymond (1:18, his ninth), Elmer Soderblom (fifth, 2:36) and Michael Rasmussen (seventh, 3:13), completely changing the game.
Raymond redirected a shot from Olli Maatta from the point, Soderblom one-timed a Joe Veleno feed, and Rasmussen stripped goaltender Cam Talbot of the puck behind the net and scored an easy wraparound, blitzing the unsuspecting Senators.
What appeared to be likely a sad evening for Detroit sports fans turned into 50% pleasant, at least.
Pius Suter opened the Wings scoring.
Goaltender Magnus Hellberg, earning another start for illness-ridden Ville Husso, stopped 21 shots for the victory. After a shaky first period, Hellberg settled down and made timely stops to earn his third Wings victory (3-2-0).
The Wings moved to 16-12-7 (39 points), while Ottawa dropped to 16-17-3 (35 points).
Austin Watson and Claude Giroux had first-period Ottawa goals.
Watson opened the scoring from the slot, converting a feed from Alex DeBrincat for Watson's third goal, at 10:36 of the first period.
Ottawa increased the lead to 2-0 on Giroux's 15th goal, which will not appear on Hellberg's personal highlights.
Giroux cut through the slot, and lifted a backhander that tumbled up and over Hellberg, at 15:27.
Suter cut the deficit in half at 8:42 of the second period.
Raymond took the puck to the net, cut through the slot and regained possession of a puck that was knocked free, then fed Suter in the slot, who snapped his fifth goal (first since Nov. 17) past Talbot.
The Wings' penalty kill took over the latter half of the period killing a four-minute Raymond high-sticking penalty (an Ottawa penalty cut short that advantage by 1:35) and interference penalty.
