Berggren Repays Coach’s Faith With Late Goal In Red Wings’ Win

COLUMBUS, Ohio — One of the first things coach Todd McLellan did after taking over the Red Wings was to give Jonatan Berggren a shot of confidence.

“He told me (to) let it loose, kind of like he wanted me to play offense and like he knows that I have skills in offensive game,” Berggren said earlier this week. It paid off for him after scoring the winning goal in Thursday’s 5-4 win at Columbus.

He delivered after a late gamble nearly blew up in the Red Wings’ face.

After James VanRiemsdyk tied the game at 4-4 with 2:41 left in regulation, the Red Wings appealed the goal and lost. That put Columbus on the power play.

Berggren Steps Up In Clutch

Berggren went to the box to serve the penalty, and just as it ended, Tyler Motte cleared the puck from the Red Wings zone. He got the puck to Berggren, who had just left the penalty box, in stride.

Berggren then scored to cap a dizzying shift in momentum to give the Wings their third win in a row. It tied their longest winning streak of the season.

“Sometimes we’re out there to help the team, and sometimes the team helps the coaching staff,” McLellan said. “We made some mistakes tonight as a staff and the players bailed us out. So it’s a real good sign.”

VanRiemsdyk scored the game’s first goal, But the Red Wings scored the next three, taking a 3-1 lead after the first period.

“There was a lot of energy, especially in the start, and the feeling in both games and practice has been really good so far,” Berggren said. “But we need to keep doing the right things.”

Patrick Kane, Eric Gustafsson  (his first as a Red Wing) and Alex DeBrincat scored in the period.

“We’re not getting down on the bench when we have a momentum swing,” DeBrincat said. “We just keep working to get that momentum back. And it’s been going well for us.”

Larkin Ending Scoreless Streak

Columbus tied the game with two goals in the second. Dylan Larkin gave the Wings a 4-3 lead early in the third period.

“He’s our best player,” DeBrincat said of Larkin. “I think when he’s going, we’re winning games, and it’s good to see him put it in the net.”

The performance was noteworthy for another reason.  Columbus, at 12-5-3, has one of the best home records in the NHL.

And just like that, a Red Wings team that looked listless a week ago has a winning streak going into Saturday’s game at Winnipeg.