The Detroit Red Wings played hard but continue to have a difficult time on the road as the Carolina Hurricanes prevailed 5-3 in Raleigh.
The Hurricanes were missing several key players yet still came away with another victory, their 20th of the season.
Here are 8 observations following Detroit’s:
1: Lucas Raymond continues to thrive as a rookie in the NHL. Raymond’s two assists increased his team leading points to 27 in 30 games. Raymond isn’t just an offensive force while he is on the ice. He had one hit and three blocked shots in 19:46 minutes of playing time.
2: Seven Defensemen: What is coach Blashill thinking? You can’t play competitive hockey in the NHL without four full lines. Blashill inserted Marc Staal into the lineup after missing several games while he was in COVID-19 protocol. Staal played just over 10 minutes in the game. It would have been more advantageous for the Red Wings to dress Taro Hirose and place him on a line with Joe Veleno. At some point, Hirose needs to be given a chance at the NHL level. He leads the Grand Rapids Griffins in scoring and flying him all the way to North Carolina to sit in the stands is a disservice to any professional athlete.
3: Faceoff losses cost puck possession: It seemed like the Red Wings were chasing the puck for much of the game. Carolina won 60% of the faceoffs, many in the importantant offensive and defensive zones. Particularly poor on the night were Pius Suter 41.7%, Dylan Larkin 38.1%, and Carter Rowney 40%. The Red Wings need to improve in the faceoff circle so that they can control the puck for a majority of hockey games.
4: Tyler Bertuzzi scored his first goal in 11 games. The wraparound goal was a terrific effort by Bertuzzi. Hopefully it jump-starts him offensively as the Red Wings desperately need him to contribute on a regular basis.
5: Gustav Lindstrom continues to impress. Lidstrom was +2 on the night against a terrific Carolina team. Lindstrom also had two blocked shots in 14:13 minutes of ice time. Lindstrom has been a pleasant surprise and is a perfect fit as a bottom pair defenseman during the Red Wings re-build.
6: DeKeyser is inadequate again. I continue to harp about the inadequacies of Danny DeKeyser. DeKeyser was -2 on the night in only 15:47 of playing time. Every night, DeKeyser brings Moritz Seider’s level of play down. Imagine what Seider’s stat line would be if he had a top-4 defense partner who he could count on. Continuing to play DeKeyser with Seider is going to slow or possibly ruin his development. I feel sorry for the standout rookie rearguard.
7: Sam Gagner has been excellent. The re-signing of Sam Gagner shows fans once again why Steve Yzerman is a genius when it comes to building champions. Gagner scored an unassisted goal tonight, his 4th goal of the season and now has 12 points in 30 games. Tonight Gagner played almost 16 minutes and had five shots on goal. Gagner becomes an UFA at the end of the season and will undoubtedly sign another contract to continue playing with the Red Wings.
8: Larkin scores again. Dylan Larkin scored his team leading 12th goal on a breakaway. Larkin once again looks rejuvenated on a line with Bertuzzi and Raymond. For the season, Raymond has 10 goals and 27 points, Larkin has 12 goals and 25 points, and Bertuzzi has 10 goals and 19 points. How improved is this offense going to be when Jakub Vrana rejoins the team in February?