Columbus held a lead three separate times and still needed a shootout — Detroit's power play efficiency and back-end production kept this a dead-even game until Werenski ended it in the skills competition. This CBJ–DET clash at Little Caesars Arena on April 7, 2026 was decided not by territorial dominance but by who converted their opportunities when the clock ran out.
⚡TURNING POINT
Werenski's power-play equalizer at 10:59 of the second period erased Detroit's lead and reset the game at 2-2 before Columbus could fall into a defensive posture. That conversion neutralized Detroit's momentum from Faulk's 6:27 goal and forced the Wings to chase parity rather than protect it — a structural shift that defined the final 30 minutes.
🏆WHY CBJ WON
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Faceoff dominance at 54.0% gave Columbus consistent zone entries and puck retrieval, directly enabling pressure that generated 35 shots and created the conditions for Werenski's power-play chance.
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Fantilli's 19:43 goal — scored with 17 seconds left in regulation — denied Detroit a regulation win, manufacturing the extra point that ultimately went Columbus's way.
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Greaves conceded 0.50 goals below league average on 37 shots; in a three-goal game that stretched to a shootout, that margin preserved Columbus's ability to compete.
📉WHY DET LOST
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Detroit's power play went 1-for-2 against Columbus's 1-for-4 — the Wings left efficiency on the table with twice the opportunities surrendered.
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Faulk's two goals came unanswered each time; Detroit never built on either lead, allowing Columbus to reset rather than absorb pressure.
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Gibson conceded 0.50 goals below league average on 35 shots — enough to keep Detroit competitive but insufficient to steal the extra point in the shootout format.
Three Stars
Zach Werenski1st
CBJ, D
1G 1A 2P6 SOG33:26 TOI
His power-play goal forced the reset to 2-2 and his shootout goal closed it — he was the axis of every critical Columbus conversion.
Justin Faulk2nd
DET, D
2G 0A 2P6 SOG23:40 TOI
Both Detroit leads originated from his stick; without his output the Wings would not have reached overtime.
Adam Fantilli3rd
CBJ, C
1G 0A 1P4 hits25:08 TOI
His goal at 19:43 of the third — with regulation nearly expired — is the direct reason Columbus earned the shootout point.
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Detroit generated more shots, more hits, and led twice — and lost because a defenseman with 33 minutes of ice time outworked them every time it mattered.
