Emmitt Finnie scored the first two goals of his NHL career and added an assist as the host Detroit Red Wings stretched their winning streak to five games with a 4-2 win over Edmonton Oilers on Sunday afternoon.
Dylan Larkin scored the Red Wings’ two other goals and contributed two assists. Larkin has at least one point in all of Detroit’s six games.
John Gibson made 16 saves and was also credited with an assist on Larkin’s second goal.
Noah Philp and Leon Draisaitl scored for the Oilers. Stuart Skinner stopped 21 shots.
Veteran Detroit forward Patrick Kane missed the game due to an upper body injury.
The Oilers, who lost to New Jersey 5-3 on Saturday afternoon, had just three shots on goal in the first period. However, their defense kept the game scoreless by blocking a dozen shots.
Shortly after Detroit defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka hit the post, the Red Wings broke the deadlock with 11:09 left in the second period. Larkin won a faceoff in the Edmonton zone. Lucas Raymond passed the puck to the point to Ben Chiarot, who shoveled it into the slot where Larkin ripped a one-timer past Stuart.
Finnie made it 2-0 when he knocked in a rebound of Jacob Bernard-Docker’s shot from the point. Larkin collected the second assist.
The Oilers got on the board just 31 seconds after Finnie’s milestone goal. Philp redirected Vasily Podkolzin’s shot from the point beyond Gibson’s stick.
Larkin restored the Red Wings’ two-goal advantage with 2:55 remaining in the period. He skated into Oilers territory along the right side, spun around and squeezed a shot between the post and Skinner’s left skate.
Larkin nearly notched a hat trick early in the third period, as he banged a shot off the left post.
The Oilers cut Detroit’s lead to 3-2 at 7:33 of the third. Brett Kulak set up Draisaitl’s goal in front with a pass from the left circle.
Finnie clinched Detroit’s victory with an empty-netter tally with 1:22 remaining.
There was only one penalty — a minor vs. Detroit –doled out in the game.
