Dylan Larkin’s gritty wrap-around at 4:41 of the third snapped a 2-2 deadlock and Detroit never looked back, extending its point streak to five wins in six games while slamming the door on San Jose’s hot run.
Captain Crunch Time
Little Caesars Arena was still buzzing from a disallowed goal review when Dylan Larkin hopped over the boards, tore down the right wing, and stuffed the puck inside the left post before Yaroslav Askarov could seal the gap. The play—initially whistled dead—stood after a quick replay, electrifying the crowd and giving Detroit its first lead of the night.
Larkin’s 19th of the season also snapped a personal five-game pointless drought and reaffirmed why head coach Derek Lalonde leans on his captain in high-leverage moments: he delivers when the rink gets tight.
Special Teams Set the Table
Detroit opened scoring on its first power-play chance. Lucas Raymond walked the blue line, sold the shot fake, then slid a seam pass to Alex DeBrincat who one-timed his league-leading 25th goal past Askarov’s glove at 8:17 of the first. The tally extended DeBrincat’s point streak to six games and keeps him on a 54-goal pace that would shatter the franchise single-season record of 42 set by Ray Sheppard in 1994.
Sharks Strike Back—Briefly
San Jose, winners of seven of its previous nine, showed resilience. Will Smith, back after missing 13 games with an upper-body injury, pounced on a loose puck at the crease to tie it midway through the opening frame. Macklin Celebrini, the NHL’s third-leading scorer with 72 points, collected the primary assist to push his torrid stretch to 32 points in his last 18 contests.
The Sharks grabbed a brief 2-1 edge 1:58 into the second when Collin Graf redirected Nick Leddy’s point shot, but the lead lasted barely five minutes.
Kasper Ends 37-Game Goal Drought
Center Marco Kasper, goal-less since October 23, finally erased the monkey with a secondary helper that mattered just as much as any score. Circling behind the net, he threaded a pass through Henry Thrun’s legs to J.T. Compher, who roofed a back-hander to knot the game 2-2. The assist was Kasper’s first point in 14 outings and gave Detroit the momentum swing it needed heading into the final 20 minutes.
Empty-Net Exclamation
With Askarov on the bench for the extra attacker, Kasper intercepted a clearing attempt, fired from inside his own blue line, and watched the puck slide home with 1:32 remaining. The goal—his first in 37 games—sparked a bench-clearing embrace and capped a three-point night for the 21-year-old Austrian.
Goaltending & Grinder Notes
- John Gibson turned away 20 of 22 for his 17th win; he’s 8-2-1 since December 15.
- Lucas Raymond finished with three assists, matching a career high and giving him 11 points in his last six games.
- James van Riemsdyk added two helpers, extending his assist streak to four games—his longest since 2018.
- Yaroslav Askarov stopped 21 shots but falls to 1-3-0 in his last four starts.
Standings & Schedule
The victory vaults Detroit to 58 points, leap-frogging idle Tampa Bay for third in the Atlantic and pulling within four of second-place Toronto with three games in hand. San Jose remains two points shy of the final wild-card spot in the West, now 0-3 on its four-game road swing.
Next up: the Sharks head to Sunrise to face the Florida Panthers on Monday, while the Red Wings host the Ottawa Senators Sunday in a divisional four-pointer that could see them hit the 60-point mark before the All-Star break.
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