The Detroit Red Wings have made some impressive third-period comebacks in the past week. Wins remain hard to come by.
Detroit rallied from four goals down in the third period at Philadelphia on Saturday. The Wings also erased a three-goal deficit against Chicago on Wednesday. In both instances, they lost in overtime.
They'll try to snap their three-game skid when they host the Minnesota Wild on Friday.
Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou and Anthony Mantha were the catalysts in the latest comeback. Larkin and Athanasiou scored two goals apiece and Mantha assisted on all of them, but Detroit lost 5-4 to the Blackhawks.
Larkin, 22, has scored eight goals in his last 12 games. He leads the team in goals (26) and points (58).
"I felt like I had the puck in good spots and moving my feet up ice. I think anyone who's skating fast with the puck and looking to make plays can change the game," Larkin told the team's website. "I guess that's what I try to do every night. Sometimes it doesn't happen, but I thought (Wednesday) I was getting pucks in good spots."
Athanasiou has five goals in his last five games following an 11-game scoreless drought. He's scored 22 for the season.
"I always do a pretty good job of producing opportunities," Athanasiou said. "I think every time you play a game in this league you get better as a player and mature as a player. I'm just always trying to take steps forward and learn from different situations that I get put in."
Mantha has eight points in the last five games.
"I thought he was the second-best player on the ice (behind Larkin)," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "So, when he moves his feet, he's 6-foot-5, he's got great hands, got great release, can make plays and he's a horse. It's just a continued process. I think some of that's confidence."
Jimmy Howard's confidence might be shaken a little bit. The All-Star goaltender was pulled early in both of the overtime losses after giving up a combined nine goals.
Detroit, which has also lost six of its last eight, will be playing the third of five consecutive home games.
Minnesota has also struggled this month and on Wednesday dealt forward Charlie Coyle to the Boston Bruins for 22-year-old forward Ryan Donato and a conditional 2019 fifth-round draft pick.
That could be part of a selloff for the Wild, who snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating the New York Rangers 4-1 on Thursday.
Donato made his Minnesota debut and contributed two assists.
"He'll bring a different dynamic for us and a lot of energy," Wild forward Jordan Greenway told the team's website. "On the ice, he's a big threat. He's just kind of starting his career, but he can score goals and he's very skilled. There's a lot of good attributes he's going to bring for us."
Donato had nine points in 34 games with the Bruins.
"He can score goals really well," Greenway said. "He brings a lot offensively and I think him being a younger guy, it'll be good for our team. It'll be great getting another young guy and bringing that aspect to the team for us."