Larkin records first NHL hat trick as battered Red Wings dispatch Devils

Detroit Red Wings captain @Dylan Larkin scored the first hat trick of his National Hockey League career to help lift his team to a 5–2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

The Red Wings managed to defeat the Devils despite being without @Robby Fabbri, @Filip Zadina, @Michael Rasmussen, @Givani Smith, @Carter Rowney, and @Alex Nedeljkovic, all of whom are currently in COVID-19 protocol.

Larkin opened the scoring late in the first period, catching Devils goaltender @Akira Schmid unawares and out of his net after the puck took a wild carom off the end boards in the offensive zone.

The 25-year-old center easily deposited the puck into the yawning cage for his 13th goal of the year, assisted by @Filip Hronek.

Larkin’s next goal wasn’t nearly as easy.

After Devils forward @Michael McLeod tied the game, Larkin restored Detroit’s one-goal lead in the second period. He took a pass from @Vladislav Namestnikov before slinging the puck past Schmid for his second of the night.

@Pius Suter also assisted on the goal.

Larkin finished off the hat trick late in the middle frame, with Red Wings teammate @Kyle Criscuolo picking up the lone assist for his first NHL point.

Criscuolo cleared the puck out of the defensive zone right onto Larkin’s stick. The captain broke in on Schmid all alone and made a slick move to his forehead before firing a wrister into the back of the net.

@Tyler Bertuzzi added two goals of his own in the victory, with @Dawson Mercer registering the other tally for New Jersey. Red Wings goaltender Thomas Greiss stopped 31 of 33 shots in the win.

With their game against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 20 having been postponed, the Red Wings will return to action against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Dec. 23.