Raymond scores 1st NHL goal, Red Wings top Blue Jackets 4-1

DETROIT - Lucas Raymond made his first NHL goal a big one for the Detroit Red Wings, breaking a scoreless tie at 6:38 of the third period on the way to a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old Raymond, from Gothenburg, Sweden, was picked fourth overall by the Red Wings in the 2020 draft. He also assisted on Tyler Bertuzzi’s fifth goal of the season just more than two minutes after beating goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who stopped Detroit's first 33 shots on net.

Boone Jenner made it a one-goal game at 12:51 of the final period, but Red Wings goalie Thomas Greiss and his defense preserved the lead. Greiss finished with 22 saves.

Vladislav Namestnikov and Adam Erne added empty-net goals in the final 1:14.

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin – back from his one-game suspension — cruised in on the right side and dropped a pass to Raymond for the first goal of the game. Larkin also assisted on Bertuzzi’s goal.

Detroit had a 31-13 edge in shots through the first two periods, but couldn’t score despite several good opportunities.

The Red Wings had a two-man advantage for 1:34 in the second, but didn't take advantage until the third.

LARKIN RETURNS

Larkin served his one-game suspension during Detroit's 3-1 win Saturday over Vancouver. The ban was levied after Larkin was ejected from the Red Wings’ season-opening 7-6 overtime loss to Tampa Bay. He took a match penalty for punching Mathieu Joseph in response to being driven headfirst into the boards.

"Mathieu Joseph reached out to me and we texted back and forth and that was nice," Larkin told reporters. "He apologized and I apologized, and I said, ‘Let’s put it in the past.’ And that’s what I’d really like to do with all this.

"I’m very relieved it wasn’t anything serious, and I served my suspension and I’m ready to get back out there."

Larkin felt if there had been a penalty called on Joseph, the incident would not have escalated.

NOTES: Larkin and Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski were roommates in the South Quad dorms at the University of Michigan in 2014-15, when both were All-Big Ten first-team selections. Larkin, then 18, played one season for the Wolverines after Detroit drafted him in the first round in 2014. Werenski, then 17, was drafted by the Blue Jackets in the first round in 2015. They previously won three Michigan state championships on the Belle Tire team, and moved on together to the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, where they attended Pioneer High and had a couple of classes together.

UP NEXT

Blue Jackets: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday night.

Red Wings: Host the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.