The first great scoring chance came to Arizona within the first minute off a juicy Hellberg rebound with no one to cover the slot. The Coyotes would get a handful of good chances early, but by the five-minute mark, Detroit managed to get things under control. Chiarot even got a golden scoring chance on the breakaway but couldn’t bury it.
Raymond and Larkin combined for a really pretty chance to take us into the commercial break, and when we came back Trevor Thompson was kind enough to show us just how many Red Wings fans were there, which was basically all the fans. Seriously, it looked like there were more open seats than Coyotes fans. I’m sure the many, many Wings fans in the place loved how Detroit was peppering Connor Ingram in Arizona’s net since the rocky opening moments.
In light of a good Tyler Bertuzzi having one of those good chance against the very big Connor Ingram, I was reminded of his uncle Todd talking about a goal he scored on former Arizona goalie Mike Smith. He mentioned the need to get him moving laterally because his pads are so big on account of his height, and that spoke to Detroit’s inability to get a goal despite the 13 shots through the first 15 minutes; not enough lateral movement, not enough elevation on the shots.
Arizona would eventually tighten up defensively and do a better job collapsing on the Wings in the neutral zone, but Detroit still stymied the Coyotes offensively. Arizona would get the first power play and get some good chances, but Barrett Hayton would get called for holding Jake Walman, cancelling out the end of their power play and giving Detroit 1:20 of man-advantage time. Berggren got a good chance, but no conversion, so the game would go into the second period still knotted at zero.
Also, Jimmy Howard’s hands during the intermission report make me nervous.
Score: 0-0 Tie
Shots: 17-7 Detroit
Stand Ups: Hellberg, Raymond, Bertuzzi, Walman
Sit Downs: Chiarot on the breakaway =( (good on him for being in that position, though.)
Stop. Shooting. Low. Shots.
That is my summary of the first five minutes of period 2. I feel like Phil in Hercules “Can you stop with the head slicing thing!”
Berggren got a great opportunity about seven minutes in, but in an attempt to shake up the strategy he just tried to blow a hole through Ingram’s chest. Other forwards would continue to buzz, too, especially Larkin, Bertuzzi, and Raymond. Eventually Raymond would draw a penalty because he was hauled to the ice.
FINALLY! Right off the draw Larkin got the puck to Seider. Seider walked the puck along the blue line and fired a shot, deflected off Larkin, 1-0 Red Wings!
Of course, Arizona would get one right back off a 3-on-2, Nick Bjugstad getting one past Hellberg on a sharp angle before he could seal up the net. 1-1 Tie.
Detroit would get another power play opportunity late in the period via a trip on Hronek. However, Arizone pretty well smothered Detroit and the period would wash away into a tie just like it started.
Score: 1-1 Tie
Shots: 30-11 Detroit
Stand Ups: Larkin, Raymond, Bertuzzi, Seider, Berggren
Sit Downs: Fabbri
Ken and Ozzie promised an entertaining third period because these two teams score a lot of goals in the final frame, so naturally I ended up expecting a shootout.
Arizona came out and carried most of the play in the early going of the period, but they didn’t amass scoring chances. It was actually a pretty good demonstration of of Arizona’s flaws and struggles this season. They just can’t get shots consistently on net. Lots of missed shots on their part.
Fabbri and Suter would combine to break the deadlock about five minutes into the period. Fabbri had a great individual effort to chip the puck past several Yotes through the neutral zone and create a 2-on-1 for Suter and Kubalik. Suter couldn’t find a good pass to Kubalik and took matters into his own mitts, sniping one past Ingram, 2-1 Red Wings!
The Wings further extended their lead by getting a nice little wraparound action behind the net by Copp, with a dish to Rasmussen and a real quick pass across the crease to Perron for the easy tap in, 3-1 Red Wings!
Wings’ lead cut to 1 shortly after. The Coyotes basically skated it in 3-on-3, but Bertuzzi lost an edge and acted as a screen, allowing Travis Boyd to sneak one past Hellberg.
Since the goal was ostensibly the result of some shaky coverage from Bertuzzi, it’s pertinent to now say that I think up to that point Bertuzzi was having a solid game, but he looked gassed in the third. Just not enough conditioning time after coming back from those injuries, and I hope Lalonde tightens up his minutes until he can get into better shape.
Tie game. The Coyotes capitalized on a broken play and some poor coverage from Veleno, plus Hellberg giving up a rebound with enough space to drive Optimus Prime through. Dylan Guenther is awarded the goal.
A key penalty came with seven minutes remaining as Walman got tossed for holding, but Detroit did a good job cancelling out the Coyotes. I especially liked Chiarot’s play on the PK. Plus, Larkin and Suter had a breakaway, but there just wasn’t quite enough room for Larkin to do what he wanted.
With three minutes to go Hellberg saved the game with a beautiful save on Dylan Guenther after the Coyotes eviscerated the Wings’ neutral zone play. Overall, Detroit did not control play late in the period like you would want them to against such a lowly team. That means headed for overtime.
Score: 3-3 Tie
Shots: 39-21
Stand Ups: Fabbri, Hellberg, the PK
Sit Downs: I don’t know, Detroit just looks tired out there
Overtime
Coyotes have possession off the intial faceoff but can’t find the look they want, so they back out and both teams change. Two minutes into the OT and Wings haven’t had possession yet.
Seider finally gets possession by bowling over a Coyote in the neutral zone, but Detroit can’t muster a shot. Perron gets a good chance too, but can’t get a shot off.
Hronek splays out and makes a save for Hellberg. Arizona calls a timeout with a minute remaining. Their timeout doesn’t manage to create a chance for them and then Ras gets chance in the other direction and has about three uncalled penalties against him to end the period and send us to the shootout.
Score: 3-3 Tie
Shots: 40-23 Detroit
Stand Ups: Rasmussen, Seider, Hronek
Keller wrister GOAL
Perron backhand SAVED
Bjugstad wrister GOAL
Larkin wrister MISS
Red Wings lose a winnable game in the shootout. A real bummer for anyone who stayed up to watch this one, and I hate to bring this up, but tonight’s just one of those nights where I think about how we’ve been waiting for the goalie of the future for a near decade now. Not laying this one solely on Hellberg or anything, because I think he does a good job in the role he’s given, but the state of Detroit goal keeping over the past several years has been a state of waiting.