Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings dig hole against Devils, get buried 5-1

Red Wings have surrendered first four goals in three of the past four games

Published

1 year ago

January 4, 2023

Bob Duff

The Red Wings have been behind in each of their last five games.

Lots of folks like to take trips at this time of year. The Detroit Red Wings took a couple of them on Wednesday and it led to their downfall.

The New Jersey Devils scored a pair of power-play goals on second-period tripping infractions committed by Detroit defensemen, snapping what had been a scoreless tie up to that point. The special teams outbust propeled the Devils to a 5-1 victory.

Dougie Hamilton, Nico Hischier, Michael McLeod, Alexander Holtz and Jack Hughes tallied for New Jersey. Hamilton (Ben Chiarot) and Hischier (Jake Walman) scored with the man advantage while Red Wings rearguards were idling in the sin bin for their tripping penalties.

Lucas Raymond, with his 10th over the year on a late Detroit power play, spoiled the shutout bid of New Jersey goalie Vitek Vanecek at the 18-minute mark of the third period.

Red Wings goalie Ville Husso dropped to 1-3-2 over his last seven starts. He had one no-decision in that span.

The Devils took the season series from Detroit 2-1. New Jersey outscored the Red Wings 11-3 in the two games at Little Caesars Arena.

Red Wings Deficits Are Mounting

It was the fifth straight game in which Detroit allowed the first goal and the fourth game in a row in which the Red Wings have dug multi-goal holes. As well, it was the third time in four games that they’ve fallen behind by at least 4-0.

Pittsburgh was up 4-0 at the end of the first period on Dec. 28. Amazingly, Detroit would rally for a 5-4 overtime victory. The next night in Buffalo, the Sabres were racing to a 5-0 advantage en route to a 6-3 triumph. On New Year’s Eve, the Ottawa Senators jumped into a 2-0 first-period lead. Scoring three times in the third period, the Red Wings came back for a 4-2 victory.

Robby Fabbri made his season debut for Detroit. He’d been out after undergoing offseason knee surgery. Fabbri finished with two shots on goal. Adam Erne was a healthy scratch to make room for Fabbri in the lineup.

Both rookie Elmer Solderblom (3-3-6) and center Joe Veleno (2-4-6) saw their six-game point streaks come to an end.