Dylan Larkin’s net-drive goal 4:41 into the third snapped a 2-2 tie, propelling Detroit to a 4-2 statement win that keeps their playoff push red-hot and slams the brakes on San Jose’s own surge.
The Detroit Red Wings aren’t waiting for the All-Star break to declare their intentions. On Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, captain Dylan Larkin barreled off the right-wing wall, jammed the puck between Yaroslav Askarov’s pad and the iron, and delivered the dagger in a 4-2 victory over the streaking San Jose Sharks.
The score flips Detroit’s momentum to five wins in six and keeps them within striking distance of an Eastern Conference wild-card slot. For San Jose, the loss snaps a 7-2-0 tear that had vaulted them into the Pacific’s top-three picture.
Kasper ends 37-game drought with style
While Larkin’s winner will make the highlights, the night’s emotional spark came from Marco Kasper. The 21-year-old Austrian snapped a 37-game goal-less skid—dating back to late October—by burying an empty-netter with 1:32 left, then added a primary assist on J.T. Compher’s second-period equalizer.
Kasper’s drought had become a daily talking point in Detroit’s locker room. Coach Derek Lalonde double-shifted him between Lucas Raymond and David Perron on Friday, a move that paid off when Kasper threaded a between-the-legs feed to Compher at 6:58 of the second, tying the game 2-2 and resetting the stage for Larkin’s heroics.
Power play clicks early, penalty kill bends but doesn’t break
Detroit’s special-teams edge showed up in the first period. Alex DeBrincat ripped his team-best 25th one-timer from the left circle off a Raymond feed at 7:09, cashing in the Wings’ first man-advantage. The unit entered the night converting at 23.4% since December 1, a top-five clip league-wide.
San Jose answered with two power-play markers of their own—Will Smith’s tap-in after Macklin Celebrini’s fluttering shot at 10:08 of the first, and Collin Graf’s tip off Nick Leddy’s point shot 1:58 into the second. Yet Detroit’s kill slammed the door on the Sharks’ final three chances, including a crucial 6-on-4 with Askarov pulled.
Goaltending snapshot: Gibson > Askarov
John Gibson stopped 20 of 22, improving to 6-1-1 in his last eight decisions. The veteran’s calm rebound control allowed only one high-danger goal—Graf’s tip—on 11 qualifying chances.
Across the ice, Yaroslav Askarov faced 24 shots and surrendered three goals, two at even strength. The 21-year-old’s .885 five-on-five save percentage on the night dragged his season mark to .906, still above league average but a step back from the .925 he posted during San Jose’s seven-game heater.
What it means in the standings
Detroit climbs to 54 points (24-20-6) and pulls within three of Pittsburgh for the final wild-card slot with three games in hand. The Wings also own the NHL’s third-easiest remaining schedule by opponent points percentage, a path that sets up a legitimate March push.
San Jose remains at 62 points (28-15-6) but sees its cushion over Vegas shrink to four with the Golden Knights holding a game in hand. The Sharks’ next five come against current playoff teams, including a home-and-home with surging Vancouver next week.
Numbers that explain the night
- 18:42 – Even-strength time on ice for Larkin, highest among Wings forwards.
- 3 – Primary assists for Lucas Raymond, matching a career single-game best.
- 32 – Points in his last 18 games for Calder front-runner Macklin Celebrini, who still managed a helper despite the loss.
- 0.93 – Detroit’s expected-goals rate in the third period, holding San Jose to 0.41 at five-on-five.
Next up
Detroit jets to Boston on Sunday for a matinee against the Atlantic-leading Bruins, then return home for a three-game homestand against Buffalo, Ottawa, and Columbus. San Jose stays in the Eastern time zone, visiting Buffalo on Saturday night before a Monday stop in Toronto.
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