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Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Lose More Players, Another Game

Petry, Fischer leave game following nasty collision

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4 months ago

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michael hutchinson, grand rapids griffins
Michael Hutchinson made 32 saves in his Red Wings debut. (Photo courtesy Grand Rapids Griffins)

The ongoing habit that when the Detroit Red Wings go low, they go down was kept intact Saturday at the Prudential Center. A 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils dropped Detroit to 0-14-1 this season in games in which the team scores three or fewer goals.

“I liked our entire game,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde told Bally Sports Detroit. “I liked our effort. It would be really hard to knock the guys. I thought our compete was extremely high.

“The actual effort the boys put in and where we are at with the roster, some of the adversity we’ve had, the back to back, it just feels a little empty to not get a point out of tonight.”

Up 2-1 entering the final frame, the Wings lost for just the third time this season when leaading after 40 minutes of play. They are 13-3 in that scenario.

With the loss, the Red Wings enter the NHL Christmas break with a 2-7-1 slate over their last 10 games, and 1-4 slate in their past five road games. Perhaps more significantly, two more players were taken from the ice with concerning injuries.

Petry, Fischer Leave Following Collision

During the second period, in the process of delivering an old-school hip check to New Jersey forward Dawson Mercer in the defensive zone, Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry wound up in a vicious clash of heads with teammate Christian Fischer. Cut over the eye, Fischer seemed to be the one getting the worst of the collision, but neither player was able to continue in game.

“It was alarming,” Lalonde said. “Your first reaction is concern for the two players. And then obviously they both were helped off the ice in some way.

“Obviously, you never like to see that. It was a very unfortunate play. Just playing hard, just happened to be a bad collision there.”

Lalonde offered no update on the condition of either player, other than to acknowledge both are dealing with upper-body injuries.

Edvinsson Makes Red Wings Season Debut

It was the second straight game that Detroit was left to play much of the contest with just five defensemen. Olli Maatta made his departure during the first period of Friday’s 7-6 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers with an upper-body injury.

Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who was in New York on a Christmas vacation, was given a recall to play Saturday. Justin Holl was a scratch for Detroit.

Working in the third pairing with Shayne Gostisbehere, Edvinsson skated 12:35 of ice time. He took a penalty, had one giveaway and was even.

Following the game, both Edvinsson and forward Austin Czarnik were reassigned to the AHL Griffins.

Hutchinson Does It Right

Goaltender Michael Hutchinson was playing for Detroit for the first time this season, making his Red Wings debut. He’s third first right-handed cathcing netminder to tend goal for the Red Wings since Greg Millen in 1992.

Hutchinson made 32 saves for the Red Wings, the sixth NHL stop of the journeyman netminder’s career. He’s the fourth goalie to start a game for the Wings this season, following Ville Husso, James Reimer and Alex Lyon. Both Husso and Lyon are currently on IR.

“Mostly just excitement,”Hutchinson said of his return to the NHL. “It’s fun to play. It’s fun to play in the NHL. Just looking forward to getting another opportunity.”

Kane, Gostibehere Stay Hot

Patrick Kane gave Detroit a 1-0 lead and Gostisbehere tallied to a make it 2-1 in the second period.

For Kane, it was his four straight game with a point. He’s collected eight points over that span.

Gostisbehere, meanwhile, has accounted for 16 points (4-12-16) over his last 19 games.

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