ANAHEIM — The Detroit Red Wings sealed a dramatic 3-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on Sunday, with Michael Rasmussen scoring the tiebreaking goal in the final minutes. Rasmussen’s goal, which deflected off his skate from Moritz Seider’s shot, secured the Red Wings a sweep of their three-game California road trip.
Dylan Larkin and Joe Veleno contributed to the Red Wings’ victory, each scoring a goal. Goalie Alex Lyon made 29 saves for Detroit (20-16-4), ensuring a successful end to the road trip.
The Ducks’ Trevor Zegras scored both goals for Anaheim, displaying his skill and offensive prowess. Lukas Dostal, in goal for the Ducks (13-25-1), made 25 saves, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Ducks’ fifth consecutive loss (0-4-1). Anaheim concluded an eight-game homestand with a record of 1-6-1, highlighting their ongoing struggles.
Zegras opened the scoring early in the game, but Detroit responded with goals from Larkin and Veleno, taking a 2-1 lead. Zegras tied the game in the third period, but Rasmussen’s late goal, initially reviewed for a distinct kicking motion, proved decisive.
Special teams played a significant role, with the Red Wings successfully killing all penalties in the game. They have been perfect on the penalty kill in their past eight games and nearly perfect in their past 13 games.
The Ducks faced challenges beyond the game, as goalie John Gibson was sidelined due to illness. Detroit’s Andrew Copp returned to the lineup and contributed an assist after missing the previous game. Anaheim’s offensive struggles continued, as they have consistently failed to score more than two goals in most of their homestand games.
The Red Wings will look to build on this victory and maintain their strong penalty kill, while the Ducks will aim to address their scoring issues and bounce back in upcoming games.
