Van Riemsdyk Scores in Milestone Game as Red Wings Fall to Devils

DETROIT — In an intense battle in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Red Wings lost to the New Jersey Devils, 4-2, at Prudential Center on Monday night. James van Riemsdyk made headlines by scoring his second goal of the season in his 1,100th career NHL game.

“I thought it was good that we stuck together as a team,” van Riemsdyk said after the game. “It was definitely a hard-fought game between two good teams.” The Red Wings also faced fierce competition as tempers flared during the match, particularly after the final horn.

Detroit (13-9-1; 27 points) outshot New Jersey (14-7-1; 29 points) 35-19. Goalie Cam Talbot made 15 saves, while Devils’ netminder Jacob Markstrom stopped 32 shots.

Captain Dylan Larkin netted his team-leading 13th goal and commented on the physical nature of the game. “They’re going to take liberties, and we have to push back,” Larkin said. “It is what it is. I thought we showed good composure.”

The scoring opened with Timo Meier giving the Devils a 1-0 lead at 12:54 of the first period. The Red Wings responded with a goal from Alex DeBrincat at 16:33, equalizing the match at 1-1. Moritz Seider assisted on DeBrincat’s 11th goal, extending his scoring streak to 10 points in the last seven games.

As the first period closed, New Jersey struck twice within 66 seconds, resulting in goals from captain Nico Hischier and Cody Glass, pushing their lead to 3-1.

“There was too much free, especially early in the game,” said Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan. “We gave up too many easy goals.”

Van Riemsdyk’s goal early in the second period narrowed the gap to 3-2, capitalizing on a power play. “He’s doing what we brought him here to do – get net front,” McLellan praised.

However, Connor Brown added a fourth goal for the Devils at 8:38 of the second period. Larkin later pulled the Red Wings back to within one at 10:12 of the third period, making it 4-3.

Despite several attempts to equalize in the final moments, the Red Wings could not find the tying goal. McLellan expressed pride in his team’s fighting spirit, stating, “I give the guys credit for sticking with it and fighting back.”

Detroit’s next game is against the Nashville Predators at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday night, as they seek to rebound from this close loss.