Detroit – That’s a wrap on the Red Wings’ season at Little Caesars Arena, and considering the outcome, maybe it’s best there’s no more games until September.
The home finale was rough. The Wings closed out the home portion of their schedule Monday with a 6-1 loss against Dallas.
“Pretty much right from the beginning,” said forward Andrew Copp, of where this game turned. “I would say from top to bottom every guy had a game maybe they’d want back or would want to change some things. It seemed we’ve been preparing well for games, come out and been ready to play, but tonight was not one of those nights.
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“We weren’t ready to play from the get-go and it showed.”
As the score would indicate, the Stars dominated. Dallas (45-21-14) looked like a team preparing for the playoffs next week, looking to earn home-ice advantage, and the Wings (35-35-10), well, there’s two road games and three days left in their season.
“One of those games,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “One of those games where it didn’t go for us. We come out of the first period, we only had them registered for two (offensive) chances and they score three goals. On the registered seventh chance, they have six goals. It’s not soely on our goalies. An easy breakdown on goal number three against.
“That team is too good and too healthy and primed for a playoff run to give them anything easy. Unfortunately, we did.”
David Perron scored his 24th goal to cut the Dallas lead to 6-1 late in the second period. The Wings were more spirited and engaged in the final 20 minutes, but trailing by five, the outcome had long been decided.
Goaltenders Ville Husso and Magnus Hellberg struggled all evening.
Husso was lifted after allowing three goals on five shots, just seven minutes and 50 seconds into the game. Hellberg came on in relief and allowed three goals on 17 shots.
Husso, after an excellent first half of the season, has faltered late in the schedule. Husso missed two weeks with an unspecified lower-body injury, but Lalonde said Husso is healthy and hasn’t been sharp enough lately.
“He’s healthy, we’d never put him in (if he was hurt),” Lalonde said. “His sharp is just not sharp. You guys have seen him, you guys have seen him when he’s sharp and unfortunately this last week, it was a rough go for him. You feel for him a little bit because he’s shown us some real good hockey this year. It’s just an unfortunate stretch, he is just going through a tough stretch right now.”
It was a disappointing home ending for the Wings, who finished the season 19-17-5 at LCA.
The crowds were generally larger, more engaged, and reflected the optimism surrounding the Wings this season. But there’s still a ways to go before LCA becomes a tough rink to play in for opponents on a consistent basis.
“When you’re a good team and you get that feeling that when you walk into the rink (thinking) every night we’re going to win this game, you get that swagger,” Copp said. “That’s when home ice really takes shape because then fans know they’re going to see a nice product where this team is beginning to feel it.”
There was little, or no, time for Wings’ fans to really get excited in this game.
Roope Hintz (one goal, three assists) opened the scoring, driving to the post and converting a nice feed from the point from Thomas Harley for Hintz’s 36th goal, at 4:53 of the first period.
Esa Lindell pushed it to 2-0, cashing in on Hintz’ drop pass from the top of the slot, at 7:59, and Ty Dellandrea capped the onslaught against Husso at 12:10.
It was a ragged start all the way around for the Wings, who had hoped to maintain a high level of compete down the stretch against playoff-caliber teams.
“We’ve been basically eliminated for a little while now, so I don’t think it has anything to do with that and it shouldn’t,” Copp said. “Everyone has something to be playing for. I have things I have to prove. Larks (Dylan Larkin) has things he has to prove and it goes right down the lineup. Guys are playing for jobs, and spots, and contracts so no matter if we’re mathematically eliminated or not, there’s something everything should be playing for.”
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan