Just ahead of the NHL’s Christmas break, the Detroit Red Wings took a measuring test against the second-best team in the league.
The Dallas Stars made their only appearance of the season at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 23. The Wings acquitted themselves well, with neither side giving up much in the way of scoring opportunities. Dylan Larking scored 34 seconds into overtime to give the Wings a 4-3 victory.
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The game was one of 13 in the NHL, ahead of the Dec. 24-26 holiday shutdown. The Wings are 22-13-3, leading the Atlantic Division.
The Wings trailed by a goal going into the third period. Justin Hryckowiant’s decision to retaliate for a hit by Jacob Bernard-Docker resulted in a power play for the Wings. They converted, at 3:02, when Emmitt Finnie got a hold of Lucas Raymond’s rebound, scoring for the ninth time this season. But back-to-back penalties proved too much, and the Stars made it 3-2 Wyatt Johnston tipped Miro Heiskannen’s shot, at 11:18.
Larkin connected on a blind, between-the-legs pass from James van Riemsdyk during the Wings’ third power play to tie the game with 4:03 to play.
Neither team gave up much in the first period, with shots at 6-5 to the Wings after 20 minutes. But one of those did go in: Michael Rasmussen chased the puck to the end boards and sent it out front, where van Riemsdyk was able to settle the puck on his stick and flick it past Casey DeSmith for a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, on what was van Riemsdyk’s ninth goal of the season.
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Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson (36) makes a save against against Dallas Stars during the second period at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025.
Nate Danielson’s celebration after he put the puck in Dallas’ net five minutes into the second period was short-lived, as officials immediately waived it off because he redirected the puck with his skate.
Instead the Stars pulled even midway through the second period when Roope Hintz converted during Dallas’ second power play of the night, sniping the puck blocker-side on John Gibson while Dylan Larkin was in the box for tripping.
The Stars took a 2-1 lead with 43.6 seconds on the clock in the second period, when Matt Duchene forwarded a pass that Jamie Benn redirected into the net.
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Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Red Wings game won by Dylan Larkin’s goal in OT vs Stars