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Lucas Raymond Answers His Third-Line Demotion in Vancouver
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- Lucas Raymond Answers His Third-Line Demotion in Vancouver
Nine days after Todd McLellan dropped him from the first line to the third , Lucas Raymond scored twice in the first period of the Detroit Red Wings' 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night at Rogers Arena.
"I think we came out really hot," Raymond told reporters after the game . "We came out playing with the puck. Good O-zone time and obviously, we got rewarded for it."
Oct 22, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) checks Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (23) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Lucas Raymond Answers the Third-Line Demotion
McLellan moved Raymond off the top line during practice on Oct. 14, in the middle of a goalless start to the season, and slotted him between Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp. Raymond kept his spot on Detroit's first power-play unit, and that is where the second of his two goals came from. He now has five points, three goals and two assists, across his last two games.
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"He put himself in good spots tonight to score," McLellan said. "I thought he did that last game, even when he mishandled the puck a couple times. So now, he's feeling good, the confidence is back, it should be, and hopefully it takes off."
Raymond also picked up an assist on the game's second goal, which gave him three points inside the opening nine minutes. No Red Wings skater had done that since Frank Mahovlich on March 16, 1969.
Detroit Red Wings Outplayed the Vancouver Canucks All Night Long
William Wallinder scored that second goal, his second of the season, at 6:04 of the first period, banking the puck in from a difficult angle just above the Vancouver goal line. Detroit outshot the Canucks 31-13 on the night, including 13-0 in the second period.
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The Red Wings have taken at least one point out of six straight games and sit at 4-3-3 with 11 points. Vancouver dropped to 2-9-1 with five points and is now winless in nine consecutive games.
Raymond will need to keep scoring for Detroit. They are a better team when he is putting the puck in the back of the net.
