Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings Room: McLellan Indicates Rasmussen Appears to be Okay
Talbot bricks up his net in 2-0 win
It sure looked ugly as Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen was leaving the ice at the end of Saturday’s 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tripped by by Lightning star Nikita Kucherov as he was breaking toward the empty Tampa Bay net, the falling Rasmussen still was able to push the puck into the gaping cage, sliding into the net himself on his back. As he skidded into the net, Rasmussen’s right ankle slammed into the goal post. He required assistance to get to the Detroit dressing.
In this case, though, the early returns are indicating that appearances can be deceiving.
Nikita Kucherov trips up Michael Rasmussen going for the empty netter and Rasmussen leaves the ice in some discomfort pic.twitter.com/MR4rY8Z2Gv
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) January 26, 2025
“He was getting looked at in the doctor’s office,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said shortly after the game. “I think things are okay from what I’ve been told so far.”
As for the play itself, there was consternation regarding Kucherov’s actions from the Detroit point of view.
“I haven’t had a chance to look at it,” McLellan said. “I know there was some discussion a little bit about it.”
Red Wings Talbot Was Cam-Tastic
McLellan had a feeling that Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot would be fired up to play the Lightning and he was right. He was making 28 saves for his second shutout of the season. Talbot joins Sean Burke as the only goalies in NHL history to record multiple shutouts with six different franchises.
His concern was more about what the win was showing about Detroit as a team.
“It proves that we can win games any way we need to right now,” Talbot said. “We can put five or six on the board, or we can make one hold up.”
Cam Talbot stopped all 28 shots to help the @DetroitRedWings become the first team to shut out the Lightning since Nov. 14, 2023. Tampa Bay's streak of 113 games without being shut out was the longest active run in the NHL until tonight.#NHLStats: https://t.co/CqAc4ymxIe pic.twitter.com/wwivYcz1nS
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 26, 2025
Talbot is 7-1 in his last eight starts. The only blemish was a 5-1 loss at Tampa Bay.
“We were debating on who we were going to start,” McLellan said. “I’ve been around Talbs enough to know that he probably wanted to start after what happened in Tampa.
“I just had a gut feeling this is what he wanted. He got the opportunity and took advantage of it.”
Talbot is also the first goaltender to shut out the Lightning in 113 games.
Ice Chips
The Red Wings are 7-1 in the last eight home games and 10-4-1 with McLellan as coach . . . Talbot’s seven wins give him a share of the NHL lead in 2025 with Jake Oettinger of Dallas and Washington’s Logan Thompson . . . Detroit defenseman Albert Johansson set career highs in blocked shots (seven) and time on ice (20:49).
