Kane reaches 500 NHL goals in Red Wings win against Canucks

DETROIT -- Patrick Kane scored twice to become the fifth player born in the United States to score 500 goals in the NHL, and the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday.

Kane, who also became the 50th player in NHL history to reach the mark, scored his 499th career goal at 19:31 of the first period with the Red Wings on a 5-on-3 power play before scoring into an empty net at 16:07 of the third for No. 500.

“I'm not usually on the ice when the net is empty,” Kane said. “It was nice to get that opportunity and then hear the crowd erupt a little when I got on the ice was pretty cool. And then obviously getting the puck right away and having a chance to put it in the net for 500 was a great feeling.”

The Red Wings bench then emptied to congratulate Kane.

“He’s an American icon,” longtime teammate Alex DeBrincat said. “He’s the best to ever do it, and you just try to soak up as much as you can from guys like that.”

J.T. Compher, Lucas Raymond and Axel Sandin-Pellikka each had a goal and an assist for Detroit (26-15-4), which had lost two of three. James van Riemsdyk had two assists, and John Gibson made 23 saves.

Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks (16-22-5), who have lost five straight (0-3-2). Kevin Lankinen made 20 saves.

“This is frustrating for sure,” DeBrusk said. “When the puck goes in your net a lot, you don’t play the same way. You don’t want to give up goals, so you get back on your heels. You can’t do that in this league.”

Vancouver took two minor penalties in nine seconds late in the first period, giving the Red Wings a 5-on-3 power play for 1:51.

The Canucks killed the first 1:35, but Kane gave Detroit a 1-0 lead at 19:31. He took a pass from Raymond on the right side, skated across the high slot, dropped to the left face-off spot and ripped a wrist shot past Lankinen’s blocker.

“We didn’t get the start we wanted again -- we were short-handed 15 seconds into the game -- and that’s not the way you want to be coming out of the gate,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “But the penalty kill was OK, and then the 5-on-3 was important because it broke the ice and got us going.”

Vancouver coach Adam Foote agreed that Kane’s first goal changed the game.

“We had great control of the first period, but we get out of position for the first penalty, then we missed the clear and got a trip,” Foote said. “They get the goal, and then we make a mistake that gives them another one. You can’t go down two like that.”

Raymond’s assist was his 300th NHL point (110 goals, 190 assists) in 363 games.

Sandin-Pellikka gave the Red Wings a 2-0 lead at 5:09 of the second period, scoring off assists from van Riemsdyk and Compher.

DeBrusk’s power-play goal cut it to 2-1 at 7:03, putting in Kiefer Sherwood’s pass.

Compher extended it to 3-1 at 10:10 when van Riemsdyk got the puck in the right corner and found Compher alone at the edge of the crease.

Raymond scored at 18:10 for the 5-1 final, the third goal of the game for Detroit’s third line.

“I thought we had some good moments in the first period,” Vancouver defenseman Tyler Myers said. “But our details just aren’t good enough. When you aren’t executing, it trickles down to the whole team. If we didn’t have the goalies we do, it would be even worse.”

NOTES: Kane became the sixth active player to score 500 goals, joining Alex Ovechkin (915), Sidney Crosby (649), Steven Stamkos (600), Evgeni Malkin (523) and John Tavares (509). Kane now has 1,369 points (500 goals, 869 assists) in 1,332 games. He needs six points to pass Mike Modano (1,374) for the most points by a United States-born player.