Detroit Red Wings

Tired Red Wings Shut Out by Islanders 2-0

Published

1 year ago

January 27, 2023

Nate Brown

Maybe it was the back-to-back games. Perhaps they were just tired. The New York Islanders came into the game on an 0-4-2 skid and hadn’t scored a third-period goal since January 3rd. Despite their struggles, the Detroit Red Wings were unable to prolong New York’s misery and found themselves on the wrong side of the 2-0 final Friday night.

Playing their fourth game in seven days, the Red Wings appeared tired at times and struggled to generate any sustained pressure all night. While chances were created, the Red Wings looked a stride slow or a bounce away from turning the tide.

A scrum in front of the Detroit bench seemed to jolt the Red Wings awake following a sleepy two-period performance. The scrap between David Perron and Matt Martin closed out the second period. But it would be the Islanders who would pick up a goal in the third. It was the first New York third-period goal in almost a month.

SCORED WHILE LAYING ON THE ICE. pic.twitter.com/IRMyiAu47k

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 28, 2023

Detroit was flying high after a thrilling 4-3 win over Montreal Thursday night, but failed to generate much of anything in Friday’s loss.

For 35 minutes, it was scoreless until the Islanders capitalized off of Detroit’s inability to clear the puck. Both teams had traded chances, along with power play attempts. It resulted in little more than two teams trying to not be the first to make a mistake.

Detroit blinked first. The Red Wings would get closer on a power play with just over six minutes left in the second period, but they came away scoreless.

The first period didn’t see Detroit record a single scoring chance. Despite a power play chance, the Red Wings failed to get anything started and the Islanders kept the attack to the outside.

It seemed a microcosm of the evening.

Perron Stands Out for the Red Wings

Perron was Detroit’s best player all night, keeping several scoring chances alive while generating offense when he was on the ice. But his efforts weren’t nearly enough on an evening where Detroit struggled to put any sort of offensive attack together. Defensively, things were more sound. The second goal against is certainly one Red Wings goalie Magnus Hellberg will want back.

On the other end, Ilya Sorokin was solid between the pipes, collecting 22 saves and getting his 14th career shutout.

Relief is on the way as Detroit will now get over a week’s worth of rest before facing the Edmonton Oilers. Both teams face off at Little Caesars Arena on February 7.