Five Takeaways: Lightning Power Past Red Wings

Allegedly, Lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place and as the Detroit Red Wings discovered Friday, the Tampa Bay Lightning don’t get struck down twice in a row.

Three power-play goals – the last one into an empty net – gave the Lightning a 3-1 victory over the Red Wings Friday at Amalie Arena. One night earlier, Tampa Bay lost 5-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on the same ice surface. The Bolts haven’t lost back-to-back games in regulation all season long.

“It’s frustrating right now,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “It’s a tough feeling but we have to bounce back because we got Florida tomorrow and they’re equally as dangerous.”

Five takeways from another dark night for Detroit in the Sunshine State.

Red Wings Tampa Bay Troubles Continue

The Lightning beat the Red Wings 7-6 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit’s season opener. They’ve been especially dominant over the Wings at home. Detroit is 1-18 in the club’s last 19 visits to Amalie Arena. The Wings are 3-22-1 in the last 26 games played there.

“It’s hard to continue to come into this building and not get the results,” Larkin said. “Everyone knows they’re an elite team in this league and they have a lot of firepower.

“Our first period was probably the best period of hockey we’ve played here in a long time. We have to build on that. We have to continue to find ways to get results against the best teams.”

Detroit Got Middle Schooled

Larkin’s right. Detroit’s first period was as solid as the club has played on the road this season. The second period, though, was sub-par for the course, much more in form with the type of game Detroit is playing away from home.

Midway through the game, the shot clock read Tampa Bay 26, Detroit 8. Joe Veleno registered the Wings’ first shot on goal of the middle frame at the 11:02 mark.

“I thought in the second we stopped shooting it,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “We didn’t get it out of our end, we gave up a good amount of zone time, a good amount of shots.

“I didn’t think it was a whole bunch of big-time chances. I thought we did a decent job of protecting the middle ice.”

Red Wings Need To Shoot The Puck

A familiar bugaboo got back to biting the Wings on Friday, the lack of a shot mentality.

“I don’t know if it’s looking for the pretty goal and you want to slide it over to your linemate but we could’ve had a little more of a shot focus,” Larkin said. “We’ve got to be a bit a little more selfish and shoot the puck.”

Seider Keeps On Streaking

When Robby Fabbri tapped home a Moritz Seider shot for Detroit’s lone goal, the result saw Seider’s point streak extending to eight games (1-11-12). Seider became the fourth rookie defenseman in NHL history to record a point streak of eight games or longer. Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere (15 games in 2015-16), New York Rangers Barry Beck (10 games in 1977-78, twice) and Kevin Shattenkirk (nine games in 2010-11) are the others.

Make that an 8-game point streak for Moritz Seider.

The last Red Wings defenseman before him to do so?
Nicklas Lidstrom

The last Red Wings rookie before him to do so?
Steve Yzerman#NHLStats: https://t.co/EoUv4ci0e1 pic.twitter.com/efjt1571kl

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 5, 2022

Seider is the fifth Red Wings rookie to record a point streak of eight or more games. He’s the first since his boss, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman, did it three times in 1983-84. Kelly Kisio also did it once that season.

Seider became the 10th Red Wings defenseman to record a point streak of eight or more games and the first since Nicklas Lidstrom did it twice in 2010-11.

Rowney Goes Down

The Wings lost fourth-line center Carter Rowney early in the second period after he blocked a shot by Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman and didn’t return to action.

“He blocked a shot and he couldn’t finish the game,” Blashill said. “Where he’s at moving forward I’m not sure.”

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“It was a great block, it showed tons of courage on the block. It hit an area outside of where the protection is, and it was unfortunate. We probably missed him as the game went along.”

Only recently back in action following a knee injury, Rowney was playing strongly. He’d scored in each of the two previous games.