Tatar scores late in 3rd to lift Red Wings over Canucks 3-2

Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — After squandering a two-goal lead in the third period, Tomas Tatar and the Detroit Red Wings recovered just in time.

Tatar scored the tiebreaking goal with 1:14 left to lift the Red Wings over the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Monday night.

Martin Frk and Darren Helm also scored for Detroit, which has won four of five following a six-game losing streak. Jimmy Howard stopped 26 shots after Petr Mrazek’s 36-save shutout in Edmonton the night before.

Tatar got the winner shortly after a faceoff. A deflected puck went right to him and he made no mistake with a wrist shot over Markstrom’s right shoulder for his 200th career point and first goal in eight games.

“I feel like in this moment the most important thing for us is two points,” Tatar said. “Everybody is on the same page and we trust each other and we are just playing good hockey and we should stick with that.”

Daniel Sedin and Michael Del Zotto scored for Vancouver, which completed a 2-2-1 homestand. Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves in his fourth straight start.

“I thought overtime would probably be fair tonight for both teams, but they have good offensive guys on their team and made us pay,” Sedin said. “It’s too bad when we battle back and give up that many grade-A chances. It’s not good enough.”

Despite playing its second game in two nights, Detroit came out more aggressive and opened the scoring less than five minutes in on a rush. A streaking Justin Abdelkader swatted his rebound off the back boards to Frans Nielsen, whose shot Markstrom kicked out right to Helm for a putback.

The Canucks had a chance to tie it with Abdelkader off for interference later in the first, but struggling captain Henrik Sedin missed a wide-open net.

He got another chance in the second when Jake Virtanen sprung him for a breakaway, but Henrik Sedin put the puck squarely on Howard’s jersey logo.

The Red Wings went up 2-0 at 15:15 on the power play with a goal that had Canucks fans groaning. Frk’s slap shot through traffic rebounded to Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev, who appeared to miscalculate a clearing attempt and shoveled the puck right into his own net. Frk was credited with the goal.

“It was tough,” Vancouver defenseman Ben Hutton said. “You have to feel for Tanny and Marky on that one.”

The Canucks rallied to tie it in the third with goals 2:14 apart.

Daniel Sedin battled for a loose puck in the Detroit crease before backhanding it in to make it 2-1 seven minutes in. Bo Horvat then found Del Zotto in the slot and the defenseman wristed the puck over Howard’s shoulder as the crowd roared.

It was Daniel Sedin’s first goal in seven games and Del Zotto’s first of the season.

“Nice to get that first one,” Del Zotto said. “It came at a good time. I’ve been getting my chances, so I’ve been trying to stay positive and hope one goes in. Hopefully, I can get a couple more and the flood gates open.”

NOTES: The Canucks wore lavender jerseys in warmups as part of Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness night. ... Vancouver recalled forward Brandan Gaunce from Utica of the AHL.

UP NEXT

Red Wings: At the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

Canucks: At the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. Vancouver plays 10 of its next 12 on the road.

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