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Detroit Red Wings

Familiar Script to Another Red Wings Loss

Detroit has lost four straight one-goal games

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2 months ago

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Alex DeBrincat, detroit red wings
Former Senator Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings.

Speaking shortly after the team’s latest loss, forward Alex DeBrincat was discussing the reality of life as a member of the Detroit Red Wings this season.

“It seems like we give up two points a lot of nights and that was one of them,” DeBrincat was telling the FanDuel Sports Network following Thursday’s 2-1 road loss to the Ottawa Senators.

Some teams find a recipe for success. The Red Wings appear to be mapping out a blueprint for failure.

Beaten in the faceoff circle. Outshot. Unable to put the puck in the net. Playing just well enough to lose.

“We played well enough there to get the win,” DeBrincat said.

Yet for the fourth straight game, they didn’t. And they didn’t in remarkably similar fashion.

The Red Wings have fallen one goal short in four successive games. For the 14th time in 26 games this season, the 10-12-4 Wings were putting two goals or less into the other team’s net.

They are 0-2-2 over this four-game skid, collecting just two of an available eight points. Playing .250 hockey.

DeBrincat Scores Against Senators

DeBrincat, who would wind up in Detroit after asking for a trade out of Ottawa, heard the catcalls from the Sens faithful all night. But it was his third-period goal that was pulling the Wings into a tie.

“It’s all fun and games,” DeBrincat said. “They’re just giving me a hard time. Nice to put it in the net. Would of been more nice to win the game.”

With all the ex-Michigan Wolverines playing for Detroit, it would be the one in the Ottawa lineup that would decide the game. Noted Red Wings killer Josh Norris put the puck in the net twice and won it for the Senators. He’s tallied seven times in nine games against Detroit.

The winner came with just 41 seconds to go until overtime. Accepting a pass as he was entering the Detroit zone, Norris took advantage of the lack of any challenge from Red Wings defensemen Simon Edvinsson and Moritz Seider to snap a quick shot past Ville Husso.

Detroit coach Derek Lalonde felt his team was displaying a lack of maturity in failing to lock it down and get the game to the extra session.

“I think we can take some maturity in managing our game a little bit,” Lalonde said. “Probably not an ‘A’ chance at the end but it’s a quality ‘B’ chance from the slot.

“Like manage our game, don’t give that up, let’s get to overtime and go from there. Just little things like that keep finding us.”

Red Wings Penalty Kill Steps Up

The much-maligned NHL-worst power play of the Red Wings was among the bright spots in this game. Detroit was successfully killing off all five shorthanded situations given to Ottawa, which has the league’s third-best power play.

“Very encouraging, especially against a power play like this,” Lalonde said. “Hopefully, we keep building it. Have not hated the penalty kill of late. It’s just finding a way to get in the back of our net.”

Winger Patrick Kane was back in action following a five-game absence due to an upper-body injury. Joe Veleno was a healthy scratch.

Cossa For Saturday?

Lalonde was confirming that neither of the club’s injured goalies – Cam Talbot or Alex Lyon – will be available for Saturday’s home date against the Colorado Avalanche.

“I don’t expect him over the next couple of games,” Lalonde said of Talbot.

Might we see the NHL debut of 2021 first-round pick Sebastian Cossa?

“Ville was good tonight,” Lalonde said. “We’ll figure out a goalie for Saturday.”

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