Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen, who scored a highlight-worthy goal as part of Detroit's 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday evening, was singled out for praise by head coach Todd McLellan.
Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen had been the subject of intensifying scrutiny in the early goings of this season, having just scored a single goal in his first 14 games and having more than once been designated a healthy scratch.
However, you wouldn't know it by his performance on Thursday evening against the Anaheim Ducks as part of Detroit's 6-3 victory to snap what had been a three-game winless skid.
Not only was he a physical presence, but he also scored a highlight reel goal in the second period, ripping a wicked wrist shot past the glove of goaltender Lukas Dostal after a curl and drag move around defenseman Jackson Lacombe.
Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) on X
Michael Rasmussen pulls up and rips home one of the nicest goals I've ever seen him score, what a shot. #LGRW
It was Rasmussen's second goal of the season as part of what head coach Todd McLellan would later describe as his best game of the campaign so far.
"I thought Ras played the best game of his season today for a lot of different reasons," McLellan said. "For one, the goal. But he looked confident and big and strong and held on to the pucks and was physical."
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"For him, that's a real big confidence booster, we're happy for him and we're glad that he did that," he continued. "We need that going forward, night after night, because he can play that way and he's a pretty effective player when he does that."
The lack of secondary scoring has been an issue for the Red Wings. Now that Rasmussen is no longer stuck on one goal scored, the likes of Andrew Copp, James van Riemsdyk, and Elmer Soderblom need to find their offensive touches.
The good news for the Red Wings is not only did they more than double their combined goal over the last three games as part of the win over the Ducks, but their special teams came in handy after a period of struggle.
Detroit struck twice while on the power-play, and also kept Anaheim off the scoresheet while shorthanded.
Rasmussen has been given time recently on Detroit's second power-play unit, and had also proven himself useful on the penalty kill.
His goal on Thursday night can only help his case moving forward, and it should give him a meaningful confidence boost that could pay off for both him and the Red Wings.
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