DETROIT _ A good start segued into a good overall performance, and even included a rare power-play conversion.
The Detroit Red Wings did a lot of things right Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena as they hosted the Columbus Blue Jackets, but had to settle for a 3-2 loss in overtime when Seth Jones scored.
Petr Mrazek allowed two bad goals in the first period but an early goal from Nick Jensen and Thomas Vanek converting during a power play made it 2-2 to start the third period. Dylan Larkin threw a puck into Sergei Bobrovsky as the Wings attempted to break the tie. Darren Helm's line had good pressure past the midpoint of the period. Mrazek followed up with a big stop on a streaking Zach Werenski. The Wings faced a penalty kill with 5:21 to go in regulation, but did so good a job Mrazek didn't even face a shot. Shots were 24-24 at end of regulation.
For the third straight game the Wings came out with jump. Gustav Nyquist fired a puck into Bobrovsky's right pads on the second shift of the game as Henrik Zetterberg's line delivered yet another momentum-building shift. Tomas Jurco tried a slap shot. Riley Sheahan got in on the barrage.
It all helped build to a 1-0 lead at 3:22. Sheahan battled in the left corner for the puck, Larkin swooped in for support and found Jensen in the right circle. Nine minutes in, the Wings had a 7-2 edge in shots.
Brandon Dubinsky made it 1-1 when he banked his own rebound in off Mrazek, who failed to seal against the near post. Anthony Mantha engaged in a short scuffle with Scott Hartnell before tumbling to the ice. The Wings responded with more jump. Larkin had a sudden opportunity that ended with Bobrovsky covering up the puck.
The Blue Jackets still were next to score, when Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson played back-and-forth before Dubinsky scored five-hole on Mrazek from the left circle. Xavier Ouellet was denied on an attempt from the right side late in the period as the Wings reached 14 shots on net.
They didn't have nearly as good a start to the second period, spending too much time in their own zone and generating nothing offensively.
It took a minute-long 5-on-3 to regain momentum. Justin Abdelkader sent the puck to Vanek, who tapped in an easy goal from the doorstep at the nine-minute mark. That led to a solid rest of period, including a very aggressive penalty kill.
