OTTAWA, Ontario (Interstat) — The Detroit Red Wings built a three-goal first-period lead and held on to defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Monday night at Canadian Tire Centre. James van Riemsdyk led Detroit with a goal and two assists, while Andrew Copp, Lucas Raymond, Michael Rasmussen and Dylan Larkin also scored. John Gibson made 35 saves for the win. Claude Giroux, Dylan Cozens and Brady Tkachuk scored for Ottawa, which could not overcome the early deficit despite outshooting Detroit 38-26. Tim Stuetzle had two assists for the Senators. The Red Wings improved to 25-19, while the Senators fell to 20-21. An announced crowd of 16,981 watched as Detroit won its second straight game.

OTTAWA, Ontario (Interstat) — A dominant first-period outburst and a 35-save performance from goaltender John Gibson propelled the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night at Canadian Tire Centre. The Red Wings, rebounding from consecutive losses to Pittsburgh, seized control early, scoring three times in the opening frame to silence the announced crowd of 16,981. The win improved Detroit’s record to 25-19, while Ottawa fell to 20-21. Detroit’s top line set the tone just past the midway point of the first period. On a power play resulting from a tripping penalty to Ottawa’s David Perron, captain Dylan Larkin netted his 22nd goal of the season at the 13:51 mark. James van Riemsdyk and Alex DeBrincat provided the assists. The Red Wings struck again in the final minute of the period. Van Riemsdyk, named the game’s first star, collected a pass from defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker and fired a wrist shot past Senators starting goaltender Leevi Meriläinen with just 17 seconds remaining. Albert Johansson earned the secondary assist, giving Detroit a 2-0 lead. The visitors weren’t finished. Just 46 seconds after van Riemsdyk’s goal, Andrew Copp forced a turnover in the Ottawa zone and snapped an unassisted wrist shot past Meriläinen at 7:06, extending the advantage to 3-0 and ending the netminder’s night after he stopped 7 of 10 shots. The most important part of the game was Detroit’s early command. Facing a Senators team that had won four of its last five and was projected as a pregame favorite with a 55.3% win probability, the Red Wings weathered early pressure from Ottawa. Gibson made several key saves, including stops on Claude Giroux and Dylan Cozens, before his offense broke through. The three-goal first-period cushion allowed Detroit to manage the game effectively despite Ottawa’s pushback. Hunter Shepard took over in goal for Ottawa to start the second period and was beaten early. Detroit’s Lucas Raymond made it 4-0 at 10:42 of the middle frame, finishing a play set up by J.T. Compher and van Riemsdyk, who tallied his second assist of the night. The Senators finally solved Gibson midway through the period. Giroux got Ottawa on the board at 14:33, converting a setup from Fabian Zetterlund and Jordan Spence. Later, on a power play after a tripping penalty to Detroit’s Michael Rasmussen, the Senators cut the deficit to 4-2. Cozens scored his 12th of the season at 18:10, with Jake Sanderson and Tim Stützle assisting. Ottawa carried momentum into the third period and made it a one-goal game at 18:55. Brady Tkachuk buried a wrist shot for his seventh goal, with Stützle notching his second assist of the night and Drake Batherson adding a helper. With Shepard pulled for an extra attacker in the final minutes, the Senators thought they had tied the game, but a coach’s challenge for goal interference was unsuccessful. The failed challenge resulted in a delay of game penalty, effectively halting their comeback bid. Detroit sealed the victory with an empty-net goal from Michael Rasmussen at 19:07, assisted by Simon Edvinsson, for the 5-3 final. Gibson was instrumental in the win, turning aside 35 of 38 shots, including 14 in the third period as Ottawa pressed. Van Riemsdyk led Detroit’s offense with a goal and two assists. For Ottawa, Stützle had two assists, while Cozens and Giroux each scored. The game’s total of eight goals went over the pregame over/under line of 5.5, defying the National Statistical game simulator’s projection of a 4-3 Ottawa victory. The Red Wings return home to face the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. The Senators begin a two-game road trip against the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday. The two teams will meet again in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 18.

Red Wings, Senators Meet in Ottawa on Monday OTTAWA, Ontario (Interstat) — The Detroit Red Wings will look to rebound from a decisive loss when they visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Monday night. Detroit (24-19-0) enters the matchup after a 4-1 home defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, which snapped a three-game winning streak. The Red Wings had previously won eight of their last 10 contests. Ottawa (19-20-0) is coming off a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday, but has lost three of its last five games. A key matchup will feature Detroit goaltender John Gibson against Ottawa forward Michael Amadio. Gibson has been a workhorse for the Red Wings, starting their last 10 games. He posted a 7-3-0 record in that span, including a 39-save shutout against Vancouver on Dec. 8, but allowed four goals on 29 shots in the recent loss to Pittsburgh. Amadio has been a consistent contributor for the Senators. He recorded an assist in the win over Washington and had a three-point night (one goal, two assists) in a 6-3 victory over Columbus on Dec. 11. His playmaking will be a focus for Ottawa’s offense. The Red Wings hold a five-point edge over the Senators in the overall standings. Detroit’s offense has been led recently by Alex DeBrincat, who scored the lone goal in Saturday’s loss. Ottawa’s scoring has been more distributed, with defenseman Nick Jensen and forward David Perron each netting goals in the win over Washington. This game opens a three-game road trip for Detroit. Ottawa begins a two-game Western Conference trip later in the week. The teams will meet again in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 18. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.