Burnaby's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had an immediate impact in his return to the Edmonton Oilers lineup.
Nugent-Hopkins failed to register a point in 24 shifts and had more than 20 minutes of total ice time, but it was the 18-year-old's prowess on the penalty shot that earned the NHL club its third consecutive win.
The first overall draft pick of the Oilers in 2011 deked the Detroit goalie Joey MacDonald and beat him to the blocker side with a snap shot that proved to be the game-winner in a 5-4 victory over the Red Wings on Saturday.
Nugent-Hopkins had been sidelined for a month with an upper-body injury that occured in a game against Chicago on Jan. 2.
Edmonton's Sam Gagner, hot off a record-setting eight-point night against Chicago two days earlier, added his 10th and 11th goals of the year in a three-point night in the win over the Red Wings.
Team scoring leader Jordan Eberle sent the game into overtime, tying the score with a goal with just 38 seconds remaining in the game.
