Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Collapse, Squander Huge Lead, Ruin Kane Debut

Up 4-0, Detroit loses 6-5 in OT

Published

5 months ago

December 7, 2023

Bob Duff

Forward David Perron described the Red Wings play of late as a recipe for disaster.

This was going to be a night to remember for the Detroit Red Wings. Instead it’s one they must quickly remedy and then forget.

It was Patrick Kane’s first stint as a Detroit player. There was a 4-0 second-period lead over the San Jose Sharks.

All seemed bright in Red Wings world.

Ah, but looks can be deceiving. And as anyone who’s been paying attention to Detroit’s recent outings knows two things are for sure.

Diamonds are forever, but Red Wings leads are not.

A 6-5 overtime loss was not only spoiling Kane’s Detroit bow, it was casting a pall over the recent run of success that saw the Red Wings go 6-1.

Forward David Perron called it frustrating, disappointing. Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde was more caustic in his criticism of his team’s performance.

“We just lazy and casual away from the puck,” Lalonde said. “Hoping. That’s cheating hockey. That’s not winning hockey.

“We got what we deserved tonight.”

Everything Went Wrong For Red Wings

It wasn’t just that Detroit blew a hockey game. It was the extreme manner it which the team did so that was particularly haunting.

The Red Wings gave up two shorthanded goals during the same power play, both on odd-man rushses. A third San Jose goal came at the exact second the the Sharks’ penalty was expiring, or it would’ve been a third shorthanded marker.

“Right there, we allow one (shorthanded goal),” Perron said. “The next guys going on the ice, you gotta make sure, I don’t know, play more simple maybe on the next couple of breakouts. And it happened again a third time.

“Nothing was good about it.”

After captain Dylan Larkin was giving Detroit a 5-4 lead in the third period, the Wings would allow a tying goal with Sharks goalie Kaapo Kahkonen on the bench for an extra attacker. Mikael Granlund would tally the winner on yet another San Jose odd-man rush 37 seconds into the extra session.

GRANNY GETS IT DONE 👊 pic.twitter.com/7HRgND5m1B

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) December 8, 2023

“Even allowing a goal with the goalie pulled, it’s all stuff that’s not a good recipe,” Perron said.

It’s been what the club has been cooking up lately, though. Detroit blew a 3-0 lead on Saturday in Montreal and won 5-4 in OT. Tuesday at Buffalo, the Wings were up 4-0 and hung on to win 5-3.

“It’s not sustainable to win like that,” Lalonde said. “Even if you win like that, it’s not going anywhere.”

Kane Held Pointless In Return

Showing flashes of the creative genius that’s made him an NHL superstar, Kane was unable to translate it into anything of substance in terms of goals or assists. But in general, for a guy who hadn’t played in 220 days, he was looking pretty good.

“Overall for me it was just fun to get out there and play again,” Kane said. “Obviously it would’ve been a little bit better getting a win.”