The Detroit Red Wings owed the New York Islanders for their previous two losses in which they were outscored 12-2.
Forward Alex DeBrincat, one of the hottest goal scorers in the NHL right now, made sure that New York wouldn't enjoy a third straight win over Detroit.
He scored his 19th and 20th goals of the season, both on the power-play, in the third period of what would ultimately be a 3-2 Red Wings victory at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday evening.
Not only did DeBrincat reach the 20-goal mark for the sixth consecutive season, but he also became the fastest Red Wings player to reach the plateau since Henrik Zetterberg in 2007-08, the most recent season in which they won the Stanley Cup.
What's been going right for him? As the old adage goes, just get pucks on net.
"Just shooting the puck a lot, I think," DeBrincat said. "Obviously playing with great players who get me the puck in good situations, and I'm just trying to pull the trigger as much as I can. Luckily, two went in today and hopefully it keeps going."
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The Red Wings have not had a 40-goal scorer since Marian Hossa reached that mark during his first and only season in Detroit in 2008–09.
Following their devastating Game 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final, Hossa signed with the Chicago Blackhawks and went on to win the Stanley Cup three times alongside current Red Wings forward Patrick Kane from 2010 to 2015.
Kane later developed an instant chemistry with DeBrincat during their time in Chicago, a special bond that they now share as members of the Red Wings.
Head coach Todd McLellan made no secret about the fact that he appreciates the competitive nature of DeBrincat, and that it rubs off on the rest of his teammates.
“His competitiveness rubs off on everybody else and his ability to shoot it into the net is second to none, so that combination is great," McLellan said. "He does so many other things that he almost drags the rest of the group into the game. That’s a good thing for us.”
Currently, DeBrincat is on pace to reach 48 goals, which would be the highest number by a Red Wings player since Brendan Shanahan scored 46 goals following his trade to Detroit in October 1996.
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