Detroit Red Wings end LCA schedule with embarrassing 6-1 loss to Dallas Stars

What a dud of a farewell to Little Caesars Arena for the season.

The Detroit Red Wings had designated Monday as “fan appreciation night” because it marked the final home game of the season. But it was the Stars who were appreciative, as their efforts to lock up home ice through as many rounds as possible were boosted by a 6-1 drubbing of the Wings.

“It was just one of those games,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “Didn’t go for us. We come out of the first periods we have them registered for two chances, and they’ve got three goals. It’s not solely on our goalies. Couple are mistakes, easy breakdowns. That team is too good and too healthy, primed for a playoff run, to give them anything easy.”

Ville Husso, who has been so key to the Wings’ overall improvement this season, struggled for a third straight start and was pulled before the first period ended. Magnus Hellberg let in another three goals in relief. The skaters didn’t help with their defensive breakdowns. It was, all in all, a sour way to say goodbye.

“I would say top to bottom, every guy had a game that they maybe they want back or would change some things,” Andrew Copp said. “It seems like we’ve been preparing pretty well for games, we’ve come out and we’ve come out ready to play, and tonight we weren’t ready from the get-go and it showed.

“We’ve been basically eliminated for a little while, so I don’t think it has anything to do with that. And it shouldn’t. Everyone has something to be playing for – I have things I need to prove, and it goes right down the lineup. Guys are fighting for jobs, spots, contracts. There’s something everyone should be playing for.”

The Wings are on an 0-2-1 slide towards Thursday’s finish line. They play Tuesday at the Carolina Hurricanes — another team with playoff positioning on the line — and finish at the Tampa Bay Lightning. The losing does at least keep the Wings among the bottom 11 teams in the NHL standings, putting them in play for the draw to pick first overall.

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Why Husso was in net

Derek Lalonde referred to Husso making his 55th start as the team “pushing him probably past his threshold.” Husso is being monitored daily to see how a lower-body injury that sidelined him two weeks in mid-March responds after every outing. He delivered a shutout in his first reappearance, but that was against a Montreal Canadiens team with a decimated roster. Husso allowed six goals to the Buffalo Sabres (shootout goals don’t count as an individual statistic), followed by five goals to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Wings have managed to keep Alex Nedeljkovic in Detroit in case he is needed, even though he had to come off the roster once Husso returned because Nedeljkovic was called up under an emergency situation.

Hellberg takes over

Husso was dinged twice in the first 10 minutes by the Stars. Roope Hintz scored less than five minutes in when he got to the net to redirect the puck, unencumbered by Simon Edvinsson’s attempt to catch him. Hintz set up Esa Lindell’s goal at 7:59. At 12:10, Ty Dellandrea made it 3-0, on what was the Stars’ fifth shot on net. That ended Husso’s time in net, with Hellberg coming in in relief to make his first appearance since giving up six goals March 31 at the Winnipeg Jets.

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Stars run up score

Jason Robertson scored on a power play in the opening minute of the second period. By the time that period was four minutes old it was 5-0, with Joe Pavelski earning his 1,000th career point on his 27th goal of the season. The puck went in Detroit’s net near the seven-minute mark but video review confirmed Joel Kiviranta kicked the puck into the net. That left it to Jamie Benn, then, to make it 6-0, when he tipped Colin Miller’s shot at 14:19.

David Perron put the Wings on the scoreboard at 16:50 of the second period. The Wings played better in the third period, but by then the Stars were so comfortable they rested their starting goalie, Jake Oettinger, and put in backup Scott Wedgwood.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.

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Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.