Red Wings Get First Home Win, 4-2 Over Stars

DETROIT (AP) 

Anthony Mantha had a goal called back before scoring anyway and the Detroit Red Wings won at home for the first time this season with a 4-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday.

Mantha, who has struggled early in the season, had an apparent power-play goal disallowed in the first period because it was ruled he kicked it in.

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 08: Anthony Mantha #39 of the Detroit Red Wings looks on during the third period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on October 8, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

"Yeah, I did (know that he kicked it in). I just tried to sell it. You never know," Mantha said.  "If the league doesn't look at it, they called it a good goal on the ice. Things happen."

But he responded by tying the game at 1, 4:44 into the second period with his second goal.

Tyler Bertuzzi , defenseman Jonathan Ericsson and Justin Abdelkader  also scored for Detroit (2-7-2), which had been 0-3-1 at Little Caesars Arena. Dylan Larkin had two assists and Jonathan Bernier stopped 28 shots for his first win as a Red Wing, after signing as a free agent in July.

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 08: Tyler Bertuzzi #59 of the Detroit Red Wings skates to the puck during the second period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on October 8, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

"Once we got the lead I thought we were excellent in the third period," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "We played with confidence, I thought we ground them, we spent tons of time in their end."

Detroit got that lead by taking advantage of a lucky bounce.

Bertuzzi broke a 1-1 tie, 4:59 into the third period when the puck took an odd bounce off the boards in the corner, on a dump in, and bounced in front of the net as Bishop went behind the net to play it. Bertuzzi backhanded the puck into the empty net for his third goal.

"Kronner (defenseman Niklas Kronwall) tried to rim it hard so I could catch in on that far side," Bertuzzi said.  "Got a good bounce and I was there to tap it in."

TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 18: Niklas Kronwall #55 of the Detroit Red Wings shoots during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on October 18, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Ericsson made it 3-1, 9:20 into the third, on a wrist shot from the left point, as Mantha screened Bishop in front.

It was Ericsson's first goal.

Radek Faksa made it 3-2, with 36.3 seconds left with Bishop pulled for the extra attacker. It was Faksa's  second goal.

But Abdelkader's empty-net goal clinched it with 23 seconds remaining. It was Abdelkader's first goal.

TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 18: Justin Abdelkader #8 of the Detroit Red Wings carries the puck during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on October 18, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Gemel Smith also scored for Dallas (5-5-0). Defenseman John Klingberg had two assists. Bishop made 19 saves.

"We were kind of like hoping to win instead of playing to win," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "It's not an excuse. But we didn't have our normal legs, we weren't talking, we weren't communicating well on the ice to each other, and we had really no jump."

Smith gave Dallas a 1-0 lead with 8:16 left in the first period when got control of the puck just outside the Detroit blue line, skated past Red Wings defensemen Kronwall and Nic Jensen and beat Bernier from the slot. It was Smith's first goal.

NOTE: It was Dallas C Tyler Seguin's 600th game. ... Stars general Manager Jim Nill was a longtime assistant GM with Detroit. ... Gemel Smith is the brother of Red Wings farmhand Givani Smith, who is with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.

UP NEXT:

Dallas: Visits Montreal on Tuesday.

Detroit: Visits Columbus on Tuesday.

© 2018 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 

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