Did you miss Danny? He’s back 🙂
First Period
“Their goaltending has gone sideways the last…6 or 7 weeks.” THANKS TNT WE KNOW.
And how do we know? Because shortly after them saying that, the Rangers scored. Ryan Reaves unassisted and it’s 1-0 Rangers. Well, he was kind of assisted by Hronek’s poor play. But hey we made it 3:23 without giving up a goal, so you know that’s a moral victory.
Wings have been in attack mode since they can’t really defend and it’s working out ok. Not a lot of quality chances but not too many stupid moves either.
And it works! Halfway through the first and Rasmussen scores tying the game 1-1. TNT crew is stunned, shaken, befuddled that the Wings scored a goal and it wasn’t Larkin, Bert or Raymond. Apples for Hirose and DeKeyser. In fairness, Ras was also surprised it went in as his celebration started with an eyebrow twitch and a shrug.
4:34 to go and Andrew Copp goes to the Crimes Cage for tripping Raymond. Wings give up a shorthanded chance of course but Ned makes the save. Powerplay expert Jakub Vrana scoooooores! 2-1 Red Wings as the penalty expires. Apple for Seider.
However, we cannot have nice things. 11 seconds later and Filip Chytil scores tying the game again.
6.3 seconds to go and the Wings will get to start the second period on the powerplay. Greg McKegg in the Bad Boy Box for tripping Suter.
Overall, not an awful period for the Red Wings after the usual rough start.
Second Period
Almost a full powerplay to start the period for the Red Wings. It took 30 seconds and Seider->Bertuzzi->IN THE NET. 3-2 Red Wings, not wasting our powerplays this time. Points for Seider and Raymond!
I couldn’t decide which highlight version I liked better so I’m posting both, deal with it.
Lindgren crosschecks Vrana in the back after the play for no particular reason. He falls to the ice because that’s what happens when you get hit in the numbers for no reason, and a little scrum breaks out.
We’ve had a lead for five minutes. Incredible.
We’ve had a lead for ten minutes. Astounding.
Well it was nice while it lasted. Artemi Panarin ties the game 3-3 and another poor showing from Hronek. The whole team has been so bad that Hronek has kind of gotten off the hook for plays like that but it’s been happening a lot.
A little bit more crosschecking from the Rangers but apparently that’s still fine. Walman in pain but TNT is like oh he’s just tired from a long shift (which is apparently anything over a minute in their book). He’s tired of getting his kidneys smashed in.
Instead it’s Lindstrom who heads to the Punishment Pen for hooking Lafreniere. Time for a Red Wings penalty kill which will gets us almost to the end of the period, if it’s actually killed. Seider eats up a lot of time and the Rangers end the powerplay with one shot but Ned makes a Big Boy Save.
That’ll do it. Tied 3-3 heading into the 3rd.
…and another milestone for Lucas
Third Period
Gagner starts falling and Nemeth’s butt smooshes his head into the boards. Not on purpose, Gagner just got a skate caught as he was sticking to Nemeth but he stays on the bench and seems ok.
6 minutes in and the Wings win an important faceoff so goal scoring dynamo and universally beloved player Adam Erne can fire it into the net. 4-3 Red Wings!
The Rangers almost get it right back as there he is again, Hronek making unwise decisions but does recover with some nice back-checking. Motte goes slamming into the boards instead of scoring on Ned, he took himself on that full bodyslam detour into the boards without much help from Hronek. Takes a moment to get up but is ok.
It’s time for another Rrrrrrred Wings powerplay! Lafreniere to the Villain Villa for sports crimes against Staal with 10:26 to go. That was not a good powerplay. Oh well, can’t score on them all.
Ned making saves now as the Red Wings bring that Same Old Red Wings bad energy.
Four minutes to go and Wings are on the penalty kill, still up 4-3. Lindstrom in the Hate Hut for hi-sticking. Ned has work to do. The work is not done, but it’s not his fault. Chris Kreider ties the game on the powerplay with 3:33 to go.
2 minutes to go.
1 minute. Ned doing work.
30 seconds. Whole team doing work.
LOSER POINT ACHIEVED. WE’RE HEADED TO OT. WE DIDN’T GET HUMILIATED ON A NATIONAL BROADCAST!
OVERTIME
We start with Larkin, Raymond and Seider. They have about 30 seconds in the Rangers end and something happens between Larkin and Fox where they get tangled up. Fox appears to be clinging to Larkin’s leg. That somehow becomes a 3 on 2 against Seider and Raymond until Suter sprints into action to support.
Red Wings lose. Suter, Hronek and Bert are disorganized and Copp scores.
It was a low bar to clear to be “better” but we did it. Hooray.