With their moms watching again from the stands, the Detroit Red Wings had the pressure to give them more to cheer.
The Wings had to know the Washington Capitals would be mad coming into Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, Dec. 21, after getting shown up the day before at home. That foresight didn’t help in the first period, but the Wings recalibrated during intermission and put on a better show.
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Moritz Seider put the game away with 23.3 seconds left in overtime, for a 3-2 victory. The goal was Seider’s 22nd point (six goals, 16 assists) in 25 games since the start of November.
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot (39) makes a save during the first period against the Washington Capitals at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.
MOTHERS’ DAYS: Red Wings giving moms their due on trip to D.C.
Dylan Larkin drew a penalty 35 seconds into overtime, but Charlie Lindgren denied four shots during that power play.
The game was part of a weekend celebrating the players’ moms, whose trip to the nations capital included a White House tour – and watching their sons take home a 5-2 victory on Saturday.
On Sunday, it took until the second period for the Wings (21-13-3) to score, with Lucas Raymond converting on a power play and John Leonard scoring at even strength to provide a 2-1 lead going into the third period. Ethen Frank flattened that with his second goal of the game, scoring point blank from the slot midway through the period.
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The win game the Wings a three-point cushion atop the Atlantic Division, at 45 points, ahead of the Montreal Canadiens (who played late Sunday). Next up, the Red Wings remain home for a nationally televised matchup with the Dallas Stars, who have the second-best record in the league (behind only their division-mates, the Colorado Avalanche), on Tuesday (6:30 p.m., TNT).
Patrick Kane injury update
Patrick Kane missed a fourth straight game nursing an upper-body injury, but Mason Appleton returned from a lower-body injury that had sidelined the bottom-six winger since Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving. That meant a stint watching from the press box for Marco Kasper, who was scratched for the first time this season after producing just five points in 36 games, despite stints on the second line.
Captains’ log
The Wings celebrated their captains from the 1970s before the game, a group that included Nick Libbett, Mickey Redmond and Red Berenson; the latter of whom, who went on to fame as Michigan hockey coach, dropped a ceremonial puck.
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Then the current team went out and pretty much looked the opposite of the day before. Thirteen minutes in, shots favored the Capitals, 10-1. Goalie Cam Talbot did what he could to keep the opponent at bay, but when Frank walked right through the Wings defense to the net, the Caps had a 1-0 lead at 14:17 of the first period.
The Wings finished the first period with five shots, 12 less than they had after one period in Washington. They also finished the period with a short bench after Elmer Söderblom was injured when he took a puck to the face. Söderblom returned during the second period, wearing a face shield.
Cool Hand Lucas
Detroit Red Wings left wing Lucas Raymond (23) celebrates his goal during the second period against the Washington Capitals at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.
It took until a power play near the midpoint of the second period for the Wings to dent Lindgren, with Raymond sending a shot high into the net from the right circle at 8:37.
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That bought the Wings the momentum they needed to start asserting themselves. A tie game became a 2-1 lead at 13:44 when Alex DeBrincat’s shot on net bounced in off Leonard. Leonoard, called up to fill for Kane, notched a goal in his second straight game, and a point in a third straight game.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings sweep home-and-home vs Capitals with 3-2 win at LCA