He wanted to play for the Detroit Red Wings, and he’s delivering.
Forward Alex Debrincat scored the game-winning goal late in regulation of Detroit’s 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena, which was his 34th tally of the season.
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Detroit badly needed a regulation victory over Montreal, who entered the contest with a two-point lead in the tightly-packed divisional standings.
DeBrincat, who has become one of the most clutch goal scorers for the Red Wings, took advantage of a fortuitous bounce when Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson misplayed the puck in the waning moments of the third period.
DeBrincat then took the puck, deked goaltender Jakub Dobes, and roofed a backhander for his 34th goal of the season.
Having grown up in the nearby Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills, DeBrincat knows all too well the history of the Red Wings, and he’s doing his part to ensure that postseason hockey returns to Detroit for the first time since before his NHL career began.
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As far as his game-winning goal is concerned, he’ll chalk it up to being in the right place at the right time.
“I was just trying to pressure the D, I think he (Mike Matheson) caught an edge or something, and it came right to me, so after the breakaway, I think I was coming from the right side,” DeBrincat said in the dressing room after his game-winning goal. “I was trying to get it to my backhand.”
“A lot of times, goalies overextend that blocker, so you can go right under it,’ he continued. “I’m lucky it went in, and it was kind of a lucky bounce to get that puck anyway.”
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Thanks to Detroit’s win, they won their three-game series against the Canadiens and also exacted some revenge for Montreal’s 5-1 win on Oct. 9.
The work continues for the Red Wings, who will host the Boston Bruins on Saturday evening.
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