Detroit Red Wings

Walman Scores Rare ‘3-D’ Goal in Loss to Maple Leafs

Published

1 year ago

January 7, 2023

Defenseman Jake Walman scored a goal that was unique to the point that the Detroit Red Wings hadn’t scored one like it in 12 years.

But Walman’s “three defensemen” tally wasn’t enough to prevent the Red Wings from falling 4-1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto. The Maple Leafs have beaten Detroit nine games in a row.

Detroit claimed a 1-0 lead when Walman scored a breakaway goal after coming out of the penalty box at 11:57 of the first period. The assists went to Olli Maatta and Filip Hronek. It marked the first time three Detroit defensemen collaborated statistically on a goal since 2010 when Jonathan Ericsson netted a goal, assisted by Niklas Kronwall and Nicklas Lidstrom.

“We are a pretty good team, actually a really good team, when he’s on the ice,” Lalonde said. “That’s a good sign for him and good sign for us.”

Lalonde has been rewarding Walman with more and more minutes. He was second on the team in minutes against the Maple Leafs with more than 22 minutes.

“He competes in the D zone,” Lalonde said. “He’s giving us D zone exits and giving us finishes in the D zone.”

MAGNUS HELLBERG 😱 pic.twitter.com/WO6zC6OUvY

— NHL (@NHL) January 8, 2023

John Tavares scored a pair of goals, the second coming late in the third period into an empty net.

It was a familiar storyline for the Red Wings: They lost the special team battles. Again. They gave up a power-play goal to Mitch Marner and then went 0-for-4 on the power play. On Detroit’s fourth power play chance, in the third period, the Maple Leafs had two quality scoring chances and Detroit had none.

Not long after that power play expired, the Maple Leafs used the momentum of the kill to take a 3-1 lead on a goal by Pontus Holmberg.

PP Slump

Over the past three games, the Red Wings have given up five power play goals and scored one. They have lost each of those contests. The Red Wings are 0-for-9 on the power play over the past two games.

MAGNUS HELLBERG 😱 pic.twitter.com/WO6zC6OUvY

— NHL (@NHL) January 8, 2023

Magnus Hellberg played in net for the Detroit squad. Even though he gave up three goals, Hellberg made some big saves. The Red Wings played without Robby Fabbri. He returned the lineup this week after almost 10 months away from the game because of knee surgery. They didn’t want him to play three games in four nights.