Red Wings: Loss A ‘Disappointing Missed Opportunity’

DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings’ recent six-game winning streak built confidence and optimism. Their loss to the New York Islanders Thursday brought home the reality that there is still much work to do to qualify for the playoffs.

“This will be a disappointing missed opportunity, to have this game tied up twice in the third and to not come out with a point…,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “But again, we’re simply not good enough to not have intensity in our game for stretches of time.”

Lalonde and players were left disheartened by their performance level against an Islanders team that is chasing them for an Eastern Conference wild card spot. The Islanders won 5-3 to halt Detroit’s six-game winning streak.

Patrick Kane tied the game 2-2 with a goal 10 seconds into the third period.  Nelson scored his second goal of the game less than five minutes later to give the Islanders a 3-2 lead.

Defenseman Olli Maatta then scored his second goal of the game to tie the game 3-3 at 10:49 of the period only to see Mathew Barzal regain the lead for New York with a goal roughly three minutes later.

Sluggish Start

The Red Wings looked sluggish in the first period and fell behind 2-0. Lalonde said the Islanders only had two scoring chances in the first and “and both end up in the net.”

The Red Wings took two penalties in the first period.

“We couldn’t get any rhythm going at all,” Lalonde said. “They were winning races, they were winning 50-50s. Again, when you’re in the slot and someone lifts your stick and it’s 2-on-0, the goalie.”

Lalonde said the Red Wings weren’t ready to play, which is shocking given that they only gave up 10 goals to  opponents in their six-game winning streak.

“You gotta be ready all the time,” Lalonde said. “There’s no doubt in my mind if we started the first period like we started the second period, we play from the lead all night instead of chasing it all night.”

Olli Maatta, who scored twice tonight, gives us his insights along with @DP_57 after the Red Wings fell short in the 3rd period against the Islanders. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/nFkzbCR5Vg

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 1, 2024

It was a rough night evidenced by defensive pairing Jake Walman and Moritz Seider both ending up with a -3 plus-minus. They were also on the ice for an Islanders’ power play goal. Lucas Raymond, one of Detroit’s hottest players, didn’t have a shot on goal and was -2.

Red Wings Not Safely in Playoffs

“Offensively, I thought we were jumping quick on pucks,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “Defensively, breakouts, we were playing south-north, we were doing really well. Tracking was really good. I thought we played very well defensively. We had a good rush.”

The Islanders are now only six points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second wild card spot and New York has three games in hand. Detroit has an eight-point lead over New York for the first wild card spot.

Detroit has a challenging contest against the surging Florida Panthers Saturday at 3 p.m.

“We’re looking at two Stanley Cup contenders, maybe favorites over the next week,” Lalonde said. “Three of them, probably. Opportunities like this, we’re gonna need every single point through 82 games and tonight it felt like a missed opportunity.”