Red Wings continue to marvel at Patrick Kane

It was a playoff atmosphere during last night's game at Little Caesars Arena, as the sellout crowd of 19,515 who packed the venue had all of the exuberance and passion of the legendary days of old at Joe Louis Arena. And it was only fitting that the Detroit Red Wings sent their fans home happy after a 2-1 overtime victory over their once fierce rival in the Colorado Avalanche thanks to more heroics from future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane.

His overtime goal in the extra session in which he buried an incredible behind-the-back feed from captain Dylan Larkin earned the Red Wings a valuable extra point in the standings and helped them leapfrog the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 1st Wild Card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

There was plenty of skepticism when Kane announced his intentions to sign with Detroit, mostly due to the fact that he had undergone hip resurfacing surgery during the offseason, a procedure that few players are ever able to return to their peak form after having it done. But with 24 points in the 25 games he's played in this year, he's looking every bit like his old self.

“(Of) all the things that have impressed me with Patty, how he stepped in seamlessly was probably the most,” head coach Derek Lalonde said. “You know the player. Probably exceeded expectations on how NHL-ready he would be. But the person he’s been in the room is something I didn’t expect. You probably should, with all the winning he’s done and the success he’s had. But the leadership he’s had in the room and the way he’s approached it as he gets more comfortable with the group – and I like his team game."

Meanwhile, Larkin is thrilled with the extra boost that Kane has provided not only to the Red Wings lineup, but to the fan experience at Little Caesars Arena - especially with thrilling moments like last night.

“Our building has got a boost. We call it the Kaner Effect,” Larkin said. “You notice the top of the upper bowl is full every night. It’s nice to have that. You saw him pumping up the crowd on his own out of the scrum, so it’s a lot of fun right now.”

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