We’re nearing mid-January, and the Detroit Red Wings are once again fronting the NHL’s Atlantic Division.

Detroit impressively blanked the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 on Saturday at the Bell Centre to move past the Habs and back into the top spot in the division. Detroit has held the Atlantic lead for a division-high 34 days this season.

The Red Wings had been 0-3 this season against the three teams sitting atop the four NHL divisions entering play on Saturday. The Red Wings had been outscored 11-3 in those three losses. That included a 5-1 home-ice setback against the Canadiens on opening night.

Following a scoreless first period, Lucas Raymond gave the Red Wings a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Before the second period was done, captain Dylan Larkin made it 2-0 on a Detroit power play.

Alex DeBrincat made it 3-0 just 34 seconds into the third period. DeBrincat and Larkin share the Red Wings’ goal-scoring lead. Each has netted 23 goals.

MEOW pic.twitter.com/RIE7nvEPvX

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 11, 2026

Andrew Copp completed the scoring with an empty-net goal.

John Gibson made 27 saves for his third shutout of the season.

Takeaways

Larkin and Raymond have combined for five goals over the three games since Red Wings coach Todd McLellan split them up. They’d contributed one goal between them in the previous five games … Raymond has points in six of the past seven games … Larkin has points in five of the past six games … DeBrincat finished with a goal and two assists. He has 23-23-46 totals on the season.

Red Wings Key Moment

Raymond opened the scoring when a dump into the Montreal zone took an odd hop off the back boards near the Zamboni entrance. It ended up in front of the Canadiens’ net, and Raymond slammed it in as Montreal goalie Jacob Fowler made a desperation dive in an effort to get back into the net.

Ray Ray opens the scoring! pic.twitter.com/f7efvPPmcS

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 11, 2026

Last season, in a late-season game at Montreal with both teams battling for a playoff spot, a similar fluke play left Detroit’s JT Compher staring down an empty Canadiens cage, and he fired the puck over the vacated net. Detroit lost that game.

Red Wings Key Stat

Gibson has won 12 games since December 1. That’s the most by an NHL netminder in that span.

Up Next

In another test against the beasts of the East, the Red Wings return home to face the Hurricanes on Monday on Sergei Fedorov jersey retirement night at Little Caesars Arena. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. The Fedorov ceremony gets underway at 5:30 pm. Doors will open at 4:20 pm to allow fans plenty of time to get situated.