James Reimer made 23 saves to record a shutout in his Detroit debut and the Red Wings silenced the host Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on Monday night.
Reimer, who played for San Jose the past two seasons, signed a one-year contract with Detroit during the offseason as a free agent. He now has 29 career shutouts.
Shayne Gostisbehere, Michael Rasmussen, Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp had the goals for Detroit, which has won two straight games after a season-opening loss to New Jersey.
Spencer Martin stopped 24 shots for the Blue Jackets.
The Wings, who were outshot 9-5 in the first period, struck first just under nine minutes into the game. Joe Veleno skated into Columbus territory along the left boards and found Gostisbehere, who blasted a shot from the slot past Martin. Olli Maatta also picked up an assist.
Detroit took advantage of a Columbus turnover in its own zone to take a 2-0 lead at 7:45 of the second period. The Blue Jackets’ Damon Severson had a pass intercepted by J.T. Compher. Compher passed the puck to Rasmussen, who slipped it past Martin’s glove.
The Wings soon added two power-play goals within a minute to take a 4-0 lead. Larkin scored the first of those goals, as he took a pass from Moritz Seider near the blue line and scored on a backhander. That came after Boone Jenner was called for cross-checking.
Larkin overcame Sean Kuraly’s slash on the play and Kuraly was sent to the box. Moments later, Copp shoveled in a rebound of Lucas Raymond’s shot. Jake Walman picked up the second assist.
The crowd perked up in the third period when Columbus’ Erik Gudbranson and the Wings’ Klim Kostin dropped the gloves and landed blows against each other. Gudbranson was upset when he was checked to the ice by Kostin.
Copp had a penalty shot later in the period after an Emil Bemstrom penalty, but Martin gloved it.
–Field Level Media
