The Detroit Red Wings had two reasons to celebrate and a possible cause for concern.
Danny DeKeyser scored 2:40 into overtime, lifting Detroit to a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night after the team retired Red Kelly’s jersey.
Early in overtime, though, Red Wings star Dylan Larkin skated off the ice after grabbing at the right side of his abdomen. Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said Larkin will travel to Ottawa for the team’s next game, adding he doesn’t know whether Larkin will be able to play with his upper-body injury.
The Red Wings honoured Kelly during a pregame ceremony, making his No. 4 jersey the eighth to go up in the rafters along with all-time greats such as Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom. Kelly was the first Norris Trophy winner in 1954, honouring the NHL’s top defenceman. The Hall of Famer won four Stanley Cups with Detroit and four more with the Maple Leafs, who previously retired his number.
“Anytime you can see a guy’s number go up into the rafters, it’s a very special moment,” Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard said after making 19 saves.
The Red Wings went ahead for a third time in overtime, setting off a celebration on a night in which fans for both teams cheered and jeered.
“The atmosphere was great, just like it always is when they are here,” said Detroit’s Gustav Nyquist, who broke a scoreless tie midway through the second period. “We have a lot of fans and they have a lot of fans, and it’s always crazy.”
Larkin scored a tiebreaking goal on a power play with 6:27 left in the third, putting him a goal away from matching his career high of 23 goals. Patrick Marleau had a goal to make it 2-all with 2:19 remaining in regulation, giving him two points in the game.
Auston Matthews tied the game late in the period and Frederik Andersen stopped 30 shots for the Maple Leafs.
Both teams were coming off a long break, playing for the first time in more than a week after a bye week and the All-Star break.
“I didn’t know how smoothly executed the game was,” Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “It looked like the teams had about a week off.”
Toronto looked rusty while going nearly 14 minutes before getting its first puck on Howard and was outshot 10-5 in the opening period.
The Maple Leafs failed to take advantage of two power plays in the first period and went zero for five with an extra skater midway through the third period.
“We had some trouble getting into their zone, and when we did, they were pressuring us all over the ice,” Marleau said.
The Red Wings, likewise, were struggling on the power play on three chances before Larkin scored from the left circle with a shot that went off Andersen’s left shoulder.
Marleau scored after Toronto pulled Andersen to add an extra skater and he knocked in the puck after Matthews made a fluttering pass across the crease.