The Daily: Special Teams Betray Red Wings Again; NHL Rumors

The storyline of the Boston Bruins‘ 2-1 triumph against the Detroit Red Wings is a matter of perspective. The Bruins believe they won because their penalty-killing is hot. The Red Wings believe they fell because they failed to execute on special teams.

It’s a case of both facts being true.

“Both teams were committed to playing the right way,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “Being above not giving up easy offense. And you need the power play. They got one… (In a) tight game like this, the difference is special teams and they won 1-0.”

The Red Wings power play came in ranked fifth in the NHL and it went 0-for-4 against Boston. The Bruins came in with the league’s worst power play percentage and they went 1-for-2 on the power play.

According to Boston Hockey Now writer Andrew Fantuccio, Boston has gone five consecutive games without surrendering a power play goal. They Bruins are 14 for 14 in shorthanded situations during that span.

“It was the reads. It was the communication and guys having sticks in the lanes and making sure that they had nothing,” Jeremy Swayman told the media in Detroit. “Obviously, their strengths are sifting pucks into the middle, and again, our guys did a great job of eliminating that and blocking shots, and we got rewarded for it.”

Boston goal!

Scored by Brad Marchand with 08:30 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Andrew Peeke and David Pastrnak.

Detroit: 1
Boston: 2#BOSvsDET #LGRW #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/VBxFqDLsf0

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) November 24, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

One of the concerns for coach Derek Lalonde’s Detroit club is its power play is slowing down. Assistant coach Alex Tanguay has work to do.

Amadeus Lombardi scored again and William Wallinder is off the injury list, but the Grand Rapids Griffins lost.

Bob Duff explains why Sergei Fedorov is not in line to become the Red Wings next coach.

Red Wings Extra

Players have a day to think about what happened against the Boston Bruins before heading off to play the New York Islanders on Monday.  Notes: Dylan Larkin’s assist on Lucas Raymond’s goal Saturday was the 300th of his career. Larkin is the 15th Detroit player and 12th Michigan-born player to reach that milestone.  Larkin is one of four players from the 2014 NHL Draft class to reach the 300-assist mark, joining Leon Draisaitl (516), David Pastrnak (390) and William Nylander (320). The Detroit captain will take a four-game point streak (2-3-5) into the Islanders game… Vladimir Tarasenko also has five assists in his past six games.

Hockey Now Network

Buffalo: Detroit goes 0-2-1 on the California trip, and the Sabres sweep the three games on their California. That’s why the Sabres are tied for a Eastern Conference wildcard spot and the Red Wings are no. Jason Moser has the details.

Florida: Sasha Barkov said the Panthers’ current three-game losing streak will make them better in the long run. Florida Panthers. 

Philadelphia: The Flyers are giving Morgan Frost one last time to prove himself. Philadelphia Flyers. 

Pittsburgh: Dan Kingerski writes that the Penguins are heavily scouting the Montreal Canadiens. Could there be a trade brewing? Pittsburgh Penguins.

San Jose: Sheng Peng looks at what the Sharks can learn from Joe Thornton whose number was retired Saturday. San Jose Sharks.