Detroit — The change of scenery certainly helped. But a few lineup changes did even more as the Red Wings marked a milestone and then marked their territory to give themselves a fighting chance in this first-round playoff series with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
And it was those new faces in new places — even in this old, familiar setting — that gave the home team some hope Sunday night after 2-0 victory in a must-win Game 3 at Joe Louis Arena.
The return of defenseman Brendan Smith set an early tone for the Red Wings and Andreas Athanasiou’s ice-breaking goal highlighted a dominant second-period effort, while a newly concocted checking line made it all count.