Detroit Hockey Now | By Max Smith | Last updated Nov 16, 2024
It was the battle of stoppable force vs movable object in tonight’s Red Wings game, and the tale of two completely different halves.
Detroit second-worst-in-league penalty kill faced off against the Anaheim Ducks second-worst-in-league power play.
A sloppy first period from Anaheim had the Red Wings up 3-1 by the end of the first period. By the end of the second period they were tied 3-3 because Detroit gave up two power play goals of their own. The Red Wings were down 5-3 late in the third. Ultimately, they would lose 6-4 to start off their crucial West Coast tour.
Said Coach Derek Lalonde, “This is back to back games where we had really good starts. We built leads and we got away from it.”
Goalies shaking off rust
Both teams’ goalies were getting their feet back under themselves tonight. Anaheim goalie John Gibson had an emergency appendectomy before the season started, making tonight only his second game of the season, and second victory. Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon was in his first game back after a lower body injury kept him out of the lineup for the past two weeks. Those injuries might have shown themselves a bit in the first period with three combined goals between the two. Ultimately the two would let in a total of 9 on the night (Detroit pulled Lyon in the last minute). Lyon gave up 3 goals in the third period. Ross Johnston would score the game winning 5th goal for Anaheim. Ryan Strome got an empty-netter to seal the game after a late goal from Alex Debrincat brought the Red Wings within 1 in the final minute.
Young Core’s Performances Overshadowed
Olen Zellweger of the Ducks scored just 1:11 into the game after the Red Wings lost the faceoff and left the Anaheim defenseman by himself with Lyon looking the wrong way. Both goalies let in 2 power play goals tonight, including a 5-on-3 to close out the first period for Gibson.
Marco Kasper got his first NHL goal two years to the day in the same stadium as Jonatan Berggren did. Kasper’s goal came off the Red Wings’ first power play.
Berggren got the Red Wings’ second goal of the night during the 5-on-3 at the end of the first period. The young forward finally got his first goal of the season a week ago. Hopefully this signals the start of him getting into his groove with goals in consecutive games.
Lucas Raymond beat Anaheim clean off the rush to make the advantage 3-1 Detroit 1:05 into the second. Trevor Zegras made it 3-2 off a power play goal late in the period.
“We were not able to manage our game. I think it turned once we had the 3-1 lead. Had some turnovers that led to three straight penalties” Said Lalonde.
Troy Terry would get the tying goal on another Anaheim power play as Detroit gave the Ducks three in less than 10 minutes. Two more goals around the midpoint of the third period had the Ducks up 5-3. Despite Debrincat’s late efforts scoring on another Red Wings power play, the game was over when Strome dumped it in. Raymond, Kasper, Berggren, and Albert Johansson had some crucial moments in this game. Unfortunately it was all for naught.
Quick Notes:
-Rookies Marco Kasper and Simon Edvinsson have been bringing some grit into the lineup. The towering defenseman and aggressive center both weren’t afraid to mix it up with the Ducks tonight. However, Kasper’s fighting did lead to a penalty and goal in the second period. The young forward could learn a thing or two from the big guy about being seen as the responder and not the aggressor.
-Edvinsson had to exit the game early, leaving the Wings with 5 defenseman for part of the third period.