Red Wings vs. Blackhawks: Viktor Arvidsson's Hat Trick Powers Detroit Past Chicago 4-1

The hats came down at 16:45 of the third, two days before Halloween, which feels about right. Viktor Arvidsson had just slid the puck into an empty net to finish a hat trick, and Little Caesars Arena finally got to exhale on a day that started with plenty of noise away from the ice.

Arvidsson scored three times and added an assist, and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Thursday night. The Red Wings spotted Chicago an early goal from Connor Bedard, then scored the next four. Arvidsson's four points matched his NHL career high, per the team, and the AP counted it as the sixth hat trick of his career.

Heavy Day, Clean Finish

Before puck drop, the Red Wings released a statement from interim general manager Shawn Horcoff announcing that former captain Dylan Larkin had been suspended without pay. Coach Todd McLellan wanted the focus on the game afterward. "We just played a heck of a game tonight on a day that could've gone either way coming back from a road trip, all the other stuff that went on, a few injuries, but the group pulled together and played like a team," he said.

The night also doubled as a homecoming of sorts. Patrick Kane, now with Chicago after spending the previous three seasons in Detroit, got a tribute video during the first media timeout and a standing ovation from the crowd. "It's always good to see him," DeBrincat said of his former teammate. "I think he was a big part of our team for a couple years there." Remember the warm welcome, because Kane shows up again later in this story.

Bedard Strikes, Then Detroit Takes Over

Chicago struck first. Bedard slipped in behind the Detroit defense, got a piece of a Wyatt Kaiser point shot that John Gibson kicked away, and backhanded the rebound home at 5:59 of the first. The Red Wings then burned through three power plays without scoring, and the Blackhawks carried the 1-0 lead into the second.

Detroit finally broke through at even strength. William Wallinder fired from long range at 7:31 of the second, and Arvidsson got his stick on it in front to tie the game. Less than four minutes later, Chicago had a golden chance to retake the lead when Andreas Englund hooked Frank Nazar and Nazar was awarded a penalty shot. Gibson shut the door with his pad, and Detroit owned the territory from there.

Then came Kane's second cameo. He went to the box for high-sticking 38 seconds into the third, and 31 seconds later Lucas Raymond snapped a shot from the right circle past Spencer Knight for a 2-1 Detroit lead, with Moritz Seider and Arvidsson assisting. With 4:34 left, Arvidsson jammed a loose puck through a crowded crease off an Alex DeBrincat shot to make it 3-1, and Emmitt Finnie set him up for the empty-netter at 16:45.

Arvidsson's Engine Never Stops

Arvidsson's line: three goals, one assist, plus-3 in 17:07. He now has eight goals this season, and according to the Red Wings he became the fourth-fastest player since 1997-98 to record his first hat trick with Detroit. It was his second straight multipoint game. McLellan described the appeal perfectly: "His engine doesn't stop. When he's not scoring, he's hunting and he's turning pucks over."

Arvidsson, for his part, sounded like a guy enjoying himself. "I'm not going to lie, it's fun," he said. "I'm just trying to do my part, work hard and try to go to the net as much as I can."

DeBrincat had two assists in 18:00 and finished plus-3. Raymond's power-play goal was his fourth of the season. Seider played 24:17 and picked up an assist. Gibson made 18 saves on 19 shots, and the penalty-shot stop was the biggest of them.

For Chicago, Bedard's goal was his third of the season, and he logged 18:22. Knight made 27 saves on 30 shots and kept it close longer than Chicago's shot total deserved. Kaiser played 22:36 with an assist, and Roman Kantserov picked up the other helper on the Bedard goal, his first assist of the season.

Gibson's Pad Changes the Night

At 1-1 in the middle of the second, a Nazar goal would have handed Chicago the lead and a fresh dose of belief. Gibson's save ended that conversation. The Red Wings' own recap described the stop as a momentum boost, and the numbers back it up: Detroit outscored Chicago 3-0 the rest of the way.

Seider summed up the approach. "Stayed composed even though we were behind early, and I think just took over that game step by step," he said.

Four Numbers Worth Knowing

• 31-19: Detroit's edge in shots. Chicago managed just 19 all night.
• 1 for 4: The Red Wings' power play, which went 0 for 3 before Raymond finally cashed in. Chicago went 0 for 1.
• 29-23: Faceoffs, Detroit's way, a 55.8 percent night in the circle.
• 0-5-0: Chicago's road record this season.
• 5-1-1: Detroit's record over its last seven games, per the AP.

Where They Go From Here

Detroit is 6-4-3 with 15 points and 4-3-1 at home after its second straight win. Arvidsson called it a potential trap game after a long trip. "We were on the road for nine days," he said, and the Red Wings started slowly before taking control. McLellan also knows the good vibes will get tested. "We're going to have some clunkers. Every team has them, and the test will be do we give back the belief when that clunker happens?" he said. Next up is a Saturday afternoon visit from St. Louis.

Chicago falls to 4-9-0 with eight points and is still looking for its first road win after five tries. The Blackhawks had beaten Los Angeles 2-1 at home on Tuesday, and they head to Boston on Saturday.

Costumes Optional

Hockeytown got its hats out early this Halloween weekend. On a day full of front-office headlines, Arvidsson made sure the night ended with the one storyline every Detroit fan actually wanted to talk about.

Stats from the official box score via ESPN. Postgame quotes and notes from the Detroit Red Wings on nhl.com; additional details as reported by the Associated Press.