Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin was ejected from the game in front of the Washington Capitals following a cross-check to the face of TJ Oshie.
The Red Wings won that game by a score of 3 to 1 inflicting a fifth straight loss to the Capitals who were still without the services of Alex Ovechkin.
Larkin’s gesture came during the 13e minute of play in the first period. Oshie tried to get around the Wings player on a breakout, but Larkin hit him in the face with his stick. He was punished on the streak for a cross-check and then took over the locker room.
It was striker Jakub Vrana who took Larkin’s place in the penalty box for five minutes. He was playing his first game in the NHL since October 15.
Despite the five minutes shorthanded, the Wings struck through Pius Suter who made it 2-0 Detroit. Just over 90 seconds later, Tom Wilson allowed the Capitals to take advantage of the power play to enter the score.
A turnover smiled on Suter in the third period. He found himself in the slot with the puck and his shot got the better of Darcy Kuemper for the second time in the game. The goaltender gave up three goals on 25 shots.
Ville Husso was convincing in front of his goal with 26 saves.
The Lightning offense works in profusion at home
The Tampa Bay Lightning scored four times in the space of 5:55 in the second period en route to an easy 6-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Six different scorers contributed to this victory which allows the Lightning to stop a series of two losses.
It’s the third time this season the Lightning have scored four goals in one period.
Prior to that game, Tampa Bay had scored at least four goals in 20 of their 28 home games for a 4.07 home goal average. The Lightning are the only team to average more than four goals per game at home in the NHL.
Nicholas Paul, Ross Colton, Anthony Cirelli and Zach Bogosian scored in the second.
Paul’s 17th allows him to establish a new personal brand.
Tampa Bay picked things up quickly in the third when Brayden Point scored his 33rd of the season and 200th career goal at 1:06 before watching veteran Corey Perry add his 12th at 2:33.
Point is the fifth player in Lightning history to score 200 goals in 473 games. He is the second fastest to do so following Steven Stamkos in 354 games.
Elsewhere, rookie Nick Perbix scored his second three-point game with three assists. He became the first rookie in club history to get three points in more than one game.
Trailing by six goals, Ryan Strome deprived Andrei Vasilevskiy of a second shutout this season.