RECAP: On the road, Red Wings pick up point in physical 3-2 shootout loss to Bruins

BOSTON -- Battling their way back from two separate one-goal deficits in a physical Atlantic Division showdown, the Detroit Red Wings earned a point with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday night.

“I think it was a very big matchup for us,” Moritz Seider said. “We’re in a little bit of a slump, but I thought it was a great effort tonight. We really stayed in the fight the whole night and always had an answer ready. I think, if we look back, it’ll be a huge point that we got out of the game.”

Goalie Cam Talbot turned aside 17 shots for Detroit (13-11-2; 28 points), while goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves and stopped all three shootout attempts for Boston (15-12-0; 30 points).

“A tough game to play,” Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said. “For both teams, I think there was a lot of tight-checking and not a lot of loose ice. A heavy game that was, at times, frustrating for both teams. For us to find our game as the night went on was a real positive sign… Got some good efforts from some players, and we’re going to need more of it.”

The Red Wings couldn’t cash in on either of their two power plays in a scoreless opening frame, which included both goalies each coming up with a key breakaway save --- Swayman denied Nate Danielson with his blocker at 12:24 before Talbot stoned Morgan Geekie at 14:40 --- and Seider dropping the gloves with Mark Kastelic at 19:35.

“They have some guys that are big hitters,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “For some of our younger players, we can protect ourselves a little bit better and interfere a little more with guys running them around, but that’s just learning the League and knowing who you’re out there against. That’s important that we stuck together. Great for Mo to stick up for himself. That’s a tough customer he took on. He did really well.”

At 4:25 of the second period, Talbot hardly stood a chance on a redirection on Hampus Lindholm’s shot from just below the blue line that was tipped in by Geekie, giving Boston a 1-0 lead. The Red Wings went back on the man advantage just 2:51 after Geekie’s game-opening goal, but despite some good looks, again couldn’t capitalize.

Lucas Raymond’s eighth goal of the season got the Red Wings on the scoreboard and tied the game at 6:38 of the third period. Emmitt Finnie intercepted Marat Khusnutdinov's clearing attempt then found Larkin at the point, where the latter one-timed that and his pass went in off Raymond’s stick make it 1-1.

Geekie put Boston up 2-1 with 6:21 to go in the third period, scoring his second goal of the night when he buried a one-timer from the middle of the left face-off circle.

Helping the Red Wings force overtime at TD Garden, Michael Rasmussen’s backdoor tap-in goal off a pass from Patrick Kane made it 2-2 at 18:06 of the final frame. Larkin recorded the secondary assist on Rasmussen’s fourth goal of the season, which happened not long after Talbot was pulled for the extra attacker.

“They have that in them,” McLellan said about the fight his players showed on Saturday. “I thought we got through the neutral zone a little bit better and established the forecheck in the second half of the game that we didn’t have earlier in the game. That gave us a little more confidence.”

Following a scoreless extra frame, in which Boston survived another Detroit power play, Casey Mittelstadt netted the lone goal in the shootout.

“It was good to get a point,” Larkin said. “We would have liked to get two, especially with the 4-on-3 in overtime, but we battled. We stood up for each other, stood up for ourselves and I thought it was right there. It was a good battle game. A good game for us to maybe come together, show ourselves that we can play in different ways and, when we’re not feeling well offensively, we can still play good defensively.”

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will look to snap their four-game winless streak when they host the Bruins at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday night.

WHAT WAS SAID

McLellan on the tone Seider set by dropping the gloves

“It was good for Mo. Good for our team to stand our ground. He did a real good job.”

Larkin on facing Boston again on Tuesday

“It’s a division game. Both teams didn’t like the way they played the night before. You know, with their lineup, I think we can stay a little more focused. I expect it to be a good game again on Tuesday.”

Larkin on Detroit’s power play, which went 0-for-5 on Saturday

“We got the personnel to do it. We’re forcing shots when we’re not at the net… All five of us out there have good hockey instincts.”

Seider on taking on Kastelic

“A very tough guy, but I think we just needed a little bit of a spark. I think we sometimes get pushed around a little bit, and sometimes we just need to answer. It doesn’t matter the outcome – just got to show face and be ready for it.”