RECAP: ‘The resiliency showed up again’ as Red Wings rally for 4-3 overtime win against Blue Jackets

DETROIT -- Finishing off their three-game homestand on a high note, the Detroit Red Wings overcame a two-goal, third-period deficit in an exciting 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday afternoon.

“Those are games you have to learn how to win throughout the season,” said Alex DeBrincat, who scored the game-winning goal 1:50 into the extra frame. “It’s not going to be perfect every night. To be able to battle, down 3-1, and get the two points is huge.”

In their respective creases, goalie Cam Talbot finished with 30 saves for Detroit (13-8-1; 27 points) while goaltender Jet Greaves made 29 saves for Columbus (11-8-3; 25 points).

“I thought we had some pressure on them at some points, but we were down 3-1,” Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said. “And sometimes, in the past, that’s been a negative thing. We saw it the other night. But we’ve also shown we have some fight in us, and we can come back. I’d like to keep that in the room. We don’t want to keep going down 3-1, but the resiliency showed up again, which is a good thing for us.”

Detroit had a solid start to Saturday’s matinee, maintaining offensive-zone pressure and creating some quality scoring chances. However, Columbus claimed the first lead of the afternoon when Adam Fantilli roofed a shot over Talbot’s blocker from the left face-off circle during a 5-on-3 power play to make it 1-0 at 13:18.

Just 36 seconds into the second period, thanks to a combination of puck luck and highlight-reel stickhandling from Lucas Raymond, the Red Wings tied it 1-1. Ivan Provorov’s clearing attempt went off the back of linesman Tyson Baker, and Raymond scooped up the loose puck in the right face-off circle. He dangled past Zach Werenski in the slot, then put a backhand behind Greaves for his seventh goal of the season.

Restoring the Blue Jackets’ one-goal lead 18 seconds later, Miles Wood deflected Denton Mateychuk’s point shot into the back of the net to make it 2-1. Although Detroit challenged unsuccessfully for goaltender interference, it prevented Columbus from adding another on the ensuing power play.

In the third period, after a J.T. Compher tripping penalty and Brendan Gaunce roughing penalty produced a 4-on-4 situation, Werenski -- a Grosse Pointe, Mich., native -- netted a give-and-go from Provorov to put Blue Jackets ahead 3-1 at 8:38.

Ben Chiarot got Detroit back within one at 10:23 of the final frame, locating a loose puck just above the left face-off circle and scoring his second goal of the season to cut it to 3-2. The assists went to Patrick Kane and Moritz Seider.

“We challenged Benny, because he didn’t have his best night against the Islanders the other night, but he really responded well,” McLellan said. “I thought he played a really hard game…And then offense. He does have some offensive instincts. He can shoot the puck, but he knows his primary responsibility is to take care of big bodies and shut people down.”

Riding that momentum, and a few seconds after Talbot stopped Sean Monahan’s short-handed breakaway attempt, Seider fired a wrist shot from above the right face-off circle that found twine to tie it 3-3 at 13:25 of the third period. Emmitt Finnie and Nate Danielson picked up the assists on what also marked Seider’s second goal of the campaign.

“Stay as patient as possible and give us a chance to win,” Talbot said after being asked what was going through his head when he saw Monahan racing down the ice towards him. “Just get as much of my body in front of it and get a piece. With seven minutes left, that’s a save that you need to make. If we go down 4-2 there, game’s probably over.”

Dylan Larkin nearly won it for Detroit 20 seconds into overtime, but Greaves denied the captain’s breakaway attempt. Instead, DeBrincat capped off the thrilling comeback with his 10th goal of the season -- a perfectly-placed shot over the near shoulder of Columbus' netminder.

Assisted by Chiarot and Patrick Kane, DeBrincat has recorded nine points (six goals, three helpers) in his last six contests.

“I saw [Greaves] down on the post,” said DeBrincat, who recorded his 13th career NHL overtime goal and second with the Red Wings. “I feel like a lot of goalies do that nowadays. You just have to hopefully find your spot if you’re going to try it. Maybe a little lucky there, but I think at that point in overtime, probably my last rush. I’m just trying to create something and I got lucky enough to put it in.”

NEXT UP: Detroit will hit the road for a quick one-game trip, taking on the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Monday night.

WHAT WAS SAID

McLellan on the importance of secondary scoring

“The scoring change is obvious, but it takes so much pressure off of three or four other players. We’re pouring them over the boards. They’ve had real good seasons to this point. They’re doing what they need to do offensively, but they can’t just be the only ones…Our blue line isn’t the highest-scoring group, but they got it done tonight.”

Talbot on his strong play so far

“Honestly, I’m just trying to go out there and do my job. The guys are playing really well in front of me. It’s just one cog in the machine. These guys are playing extremely well in front. I’m just trying to make the saves I’m supposed to make throughout the game that keep us in in it and give us a chance to come back like we did tonight.”

DeBrincat on Detroit’s resiliency this season compared to last

“I think it’s a different sense of confidence. I think we showed it versus St. Louis coming back 4-0 there [on Oct. 25]. Obviously, you don’t want to come back every game, but we have that in our toolbox. We just keep battling until the last whistle.”