The defenseman goes on offense in the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs

Nurturing a lively atmosphere, the Detroit Red Wings put on one of their most entertaining and energetic performances of the season.

Thanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs — and the many fans in blue and white who competed with the home crowd at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday — for helping with the fun and seemingly bringing out the best in the Wings. Playing with a lead most of the game, the Wings defeated their Original Six and Atlantic Division rival 4-2.

Ville Husso got the start in net because Cam Talbot was unavailable after aggravating the lower-body injury he just came back from and because Alex Lyon (also lower-body) isn’t expected back until Wednesday. Up front, Marco Kasper was unavailable after being hit by an illness. The Wings (12-14-4) adjusted their lines and Husso looked in shape, as he did when he denied Mitch Marner on a breakaway midway through the third period.

It was a productive night for defender Jeff Petry, who scored twice and drew a penalty. Defenseman Moritz Seider also scored as the Wings began a seven-of-eight-game home stretch. Lucas Raymond added an empty-net goal with 1.6 seconds left.

CARLOS MONARREZ: Derek Lalonde will borrow from Dan Campbell and AJ Hinch to shock the Red Wings

It’s more like that

Unlike their previous game in Philadelphia, the Wings came out with energy and got a power play in the opening minute when Max Pacioretty was called for kneeing Alex DeBrincat. A few minutes after that, the Wings killed off a Patrick Kane penalty. Minutes later, they celebrated a 1-0 lead when Petry’s shot from the blue line slipped past Joseph Woll, who had Michael Rasmussen screened. Marner put the puck in Detroit’s net at 13:24, but the Wings successfully challenged that Auston Matthews was offside on the play and maintained a one-goal lead.

Red, white and blue

It was the Wings’ first home game against the Leafs since January 12, 2023, because last season the only so-called “home game” was the one in Stockholm, Sweden, during the Global Series. Leafs fans added instant atmosphere and chant “Go Leafs Go” early until they were drowned out by dueling chants from Wings fans. The energy never dropped, even as the Leafs surged through the second period, testing Husso at twice the rate the Wings did Woll.

Agree with that

The Leafs tied it 1-1 midway through the second period and converted on their second power play of the game when Marner fed Matthews the puck along the goal line to the right of Detroit’s net. The Wings got right back to work and created a scoring chance when Kane, noticeably more confident with the puck, fired a shot on net and Andrew Copp scrambled for the rebound low. Kane and Copp picked up assists before the period ended when Seider turned Kane’s shot into the net for a 2-1 lead with 17.8 seconds left.

Contact Helene St. James at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.

Read more at Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red WingsA Curated History of the Red Wings,” published October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings ” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personal copies available via her email.

This article originally appeared on the Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings top Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-2, on defense goals