*taps mic*
Is this thing still on?
The Red Wings started the home stretch of the season on a sour note on Tuesday but managed to bounce back and grind out a big win against Calgary Thursday night. Dominik Kubalik, once the hottest player on the roster, was a healthy scratch for Filip Zadina — who would notch the game-winning goal and his first of the season. While Calgary had a wide advantage in puck possession most of the game, the Wings were able to lean on its backbone and squeak by.
NHL Hockey
The game started pretty even but after 20 minutes it would be Calgary with a wide advantage. Detroit mustered just five shots but to their credit, they did generate some big chances. One of them came during the penalty kill; Michael Rasmussen made a spectacular play near the blue line to spring Andrew Copp on a shorthanded breakaway. Copp had a pretty ice-cold first period altogether.
Meanwhile, we lost one of our best rearguards:
Walman would return in the second period. Sorry for the spoiler.
Detroit managed to come out of the first period unscathed, 0-0.
- I think Moritz Seider is playing at a higher level than he was last season
- Joe Veleno and Michael Rasmussen have been fantastic
- Ville Husso
2nd Period
Call this one of the most frustrating periods of Red Wings hockey I’ve seen in some time. It started with a double minor penalty for Calgary. Detroit generated chance after chance but could not seem to connect. Too much pass, not enough shoot — if you catch my drift.
The second period moved on with not much to show, until around five minutes left.. That’s when things took a turn. Another failed Red Wings power play would open the way for a net-front redirect goal from Blake Coleman. At that point it seemed like the Wings had run out of ‘juice’ but a big scoring chance and drawn penalty from Lucas Raymond would change that. By the powers that be, it would be Dylan Larkin with soft hands to score a PP goal in the final seconds. A much-needed tally for the captain, who to this point had a pretty ‘meh’ game:
Star Wars night. Get it?
- [copy-paste Moritz Seider compliments and praise]
- Despite all of the PP time, Detroit down 21-14 SOG
- A lot of on-ice chemistry between Raymond and Seider. You love to see it
3rd Period
The Red Wings closed out this game in a way we’re really not used to. Tied 1-1, it took nearly six minutes for someone to get the go-ahead goal. That someone was none other than Filip Zadina. The goal was created thanks to a great play by Robert Hagg (!!!!!!) in his own zone, which put Sundqvist and Zadina on an odd-man rush for a little back-and-forth razzle dazzle that left Z with an open net:
Detroit’s penalty kill was the darling of the third period as far as I’m concerned, and that includes Ville Husso. Ben Chiarot took a pair of penalties but the Wings did a great job at keeping Calgary’s offense contained. A late penalty from the Flames would salt them away and give Detroit a much-needed win.
Final, 2-1
Hand it to the Wings. They grinded this win out. Calgary had the wide edge in shots and Husso, along with the top end of the defense held it together. As far as I’m concerned, this win doesn’t happen without Moritz Seider. He was a stud as per usual. Two big goals from Dylan Larkin and Filip Zadina were much-needed as well, for obvious reasons.
The Red Wings are back in action Saturday for a matinee against the Vancouver Canucks at LCA. Puck drop at noon.