Columbus, Ohio — The Stadium Series was a success, and players and fans at Ohio Stadium will remember the evening a long time.
For the Red Wings, though, it’ll always be remembered as less than ideal because of the end result, a 5-3 loss to Columbus on Saturday night.
Justin Danforth split between Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson, raced to the net and put back his own rebound past goaltender Cam Talbot at 17 minutes, 43 seconds of the third period, giving Columbus a 4-3 lead, and Adam Fantilli added an empty-net goal for the Blue Jackets.
BOX SCORE: Blue Jackets 5, Red Wings 3
Coupled with Thursday’s loss to Columbus, it’ll leave a sour taste for the Wings.
“Very frustrating,” said forward Alex DeBrincat, who scored two goals, including tying the game 3-3 with just over three minutes left in regulation. “Tie the game up and the next shift it seems we give it up. It’s tough to play like that. Even in the second period we tie it up and they score on their power play and we give up another before the end of the period. It’s hard to come back in this league.”
What peeved the Wings, though, on the eventual game-winning goal, was an apparent high stick by Danforth on Edvinsson as Danforth was driving his way through. The referees believed Edvinsson was falling into the stick.
Justin Danforth gives the Blue Jackets the lead after getting a high stick on Simon Edvinsson. Should this goal have been called back?🤔
— Everything Hockey (@EHClothing) March 2, 2025
“Crazy play, crazy call, a penalty right in front of him (referee) and they score the game-winner,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “That’s a tough one. They said Simon was falling down and going into the stick. That’s the explanation I got. It’s a stick in the face, but we still have two guys and you’d like to make the play, but we didn’t make the play and they scored.
“We didn’t even get a point and that’s a tough one, especially clawing our way back in that game.”
The Blue Jackets moved ahead of the Wings in the wild card standings (68-66 points), with Boston and Ottawa two points behind the Wings for the final spot.
Saturday’s performance was a significant rebound after Thursday’s debacle, but coach Todd McLellan said the Wings still have some learning to do.
“We played a hell of a game when you think of the type of game we played (Thursday),” McLellan said. “The response we got, we were aggressive, but in the end we have to learn how to win those games and not lose them, and that’s what we did.
“Our team has work to do. Sometimes we just play the game. We have to manage the game and learn how to win in those situations.
“We played well enough to win but we have to work to do as far as managing it.”
McLellan didn’t get into the possible missed penalty on Danforth’s goal.
“It should have never been in that situation, not with the two defensemen back there,” McLellan said.
Dimitri Voronkov (power play) and Mathieu Olivier scored 32 seconds apart late the second period, breaking a 1-1 tie.
Patrick Kane cut the Columbus lead to 3-2 at 3:34 of the third period. Kane lifted a wrist shot from near the top of the left circle, his 15th goal, sparking the Wings fans in the attendance of 94,751, the second-largest in NHL history. The crowd was surpassed only by the 105,491 for the Wings’ game against Toronto at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor in 2014.
“Absolutely,” said Kane, as to whether the Wings deserved a better fate. “We followed our game plan, to shoot a lot of pucks (the Wings outshot Columbus 46-21) and get a lot on the net. Anything can happen in this type of environment and it comes down to one play here or there.
“Sometimes you have to make winning plays at the right time. Game management the last couple of games, maybe wasn’t our best but tonight we played well, probably deserved better.”
DeBrincat (power play) scored his first goal, tying the game 1-1 in the second period. Kane found DeBrincat with inside position near the post and DeBrincat tapped the puck past goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. The Wings were 1-for-2 on the power play and have scored 10 goals in their last 21 attempts.
The memories and scenes of the game, the weekend for that matter, will not be forgotten quickly.
Before the game, the Wings and Jackets honored late Columbus player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, who were killed Aug. 29 after being hit by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bikes.
The Wings walked into the stadium with jerseys the Gaudreaus wore during their careers, including Boston College, where both brothers played, and Team USA, which Johnny represented on multiple occasions.
Gaudreau’s mother and wife, along with their two kids, led the Jackets onto the ice before the game.
“We just lost to those guys, but those guys, what they’ve been through and knowing (defenseman) Zach (Werenski) personally, they’ve been through the ringer,” Larkin said. “This city and night was special and I hope Mr. and Mrs. Gaudreau had something to smile about tonight. I want both of our teams in the playoffs, and those guys (Jackets) have quite a story.”
Larkin and Werenski talked before the season about honoring the Gaudreaus by wearing their jerseys walking into the stadium.
“We just felt it was right,” Larkin said. “John and Matty, both of their jerseys, a game like this, those guys should be celebrated.”
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
@tkulfan
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