Lucas Raymond put the puck in the net, and Dylan Larkin dug it out.
Raymond wired a wrist shot past Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo in the third period of a scoreless game Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena to make his first NHL goal matter in a 4-1 win for the Red Wings.
"You want to score, always," Raymond said. "I had some really nice looks tonight, and in this tight of a game you want to score to help the team. And of course you want to get that first goal as well."
Korpisalo had stopped Detroit again and again in the first two frames. But he couldn't stop Raymond when the rookie rushed into the zone with Larkin, took a pass at the face-off dot and picked the short-side corner over Korpisalo's glove.
This is the shot the Red Wings saw when they drafted Raymond fourth overall and one of the 19-year-old's many precocious talents.
Raymond also added an assist on a goal by Tyler Bertuzzi minutes later that would stand up as the game-winner. He said his chemistry is growing with Bertuzzi and Larkin on Detroit's top line.
"They're two incredible players who help me out. And to get the goals tonight was really good," Raymond said. "It felt like we’re starting to connect and get to know each other out there. They’re two extremely fun players to play with."
Raymond was named the second star of the game in Detroit's second straight win. He has three points in his first three NHL games. Not bad for a kid who doesn't turn 20 until March. Not bad for the future of the Red Wings.