WINNIPEG – Sam Gagner recorded his 500th NHL career point with a shorthanded goal and added an empty-netter to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 on Wednesday.
Michael Rasmussen scored at 9:11 of the third period to break a 1-1 tie.
The win gave Detroit coach Jeff Blashill 200 victories as an NHL head coach.
Dylan Larkin had a pair of assists and Thomas Greiss stopped 32 shots for the Wings (28-34-9), who beat Boston 5-3 the night before.
Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets (33-28-10), who have lost three straight.
Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves for Winnipeg, which wraps up a three-game homestand (0-2-0) Friday against the Colorado Avalanche.
Winnipeg welcomed back leading-scorer Kyle Connor and defenceman Nate Schmidt after their stint in COVID-19 protocol.
Detroit led 1-0 after the first period and it was tied 1-1 following the second.
The Jets pressured the Wings through most of the first period, but Winnipeg’s fortunes unexpectedly changed when they went on the power play at 18:19.
Larkin got the puck and quickly sent a pass to Gagner at the side of the net, who beat Hellebuyck at 18:40.
It was the third straight game the Jets have given up a shorthanded goal.
The Jets outshot the Wings 13-5 in the opening period, with Greiss stopping some quality Winnipeg scoring chances.
The goalie stood up to a Schmidt one-timer, twice denied Paul Stastny in close and made a glove save on a Blake Wheeler breakaway.
Schmidt factored in on Winnipeg’s tying goal, as this time his shot from the point was deflected into the net by Scheifele at 6:01.
The Jets looked like they took the lead when Wheeler deflected in Dylan DeMelo’s shot at 9:44, but the Wings successfully challenged for offside and the goal was nixed.
The Wings responded with a pair of shots that hit the post, one from Lucas Raymond and the other by Jakub Vrana on a breakaway.
Shots on goal were 22-22 after the second.
The Wings got their second power play of the game at 5:15, but Hellebuyck turned aside the three shots he faced.
After Rasmussen broke the tie when he picked up a loose puck in the crease, Jets forward Zach Sandford was dinged with a four-minute double minor for high-sticking at 13:16.
Gagner put his 11th goal of the season into an empty net at 19:23.
The Jets are fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. They sit with 76 points. The idle Nashville Predators have the first wild-card spot with 84 points. The Dallas Stars have 83 and hold the second spot, but weren’t playing Wednesday. The Vegas Golden Knights had 82 points before hosting the Vancouver Canucks (74 points) in a late game.
Detroit hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2022.
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