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Hard Hab-it to break - Detroit looks to break losing streak, Draper to UofM |
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Power Play awful, PK very good in loss
Hockey is a strange game. A team can be playing well and be held off the scoreboard. Detroit opened the game against Washington with speed and attack. A rookie goal tender in his first appearance was solid early on even as the Wings outshot the Capitals. A canon from Orlov and a 10 second faceoff win/score from Eller was enough to shut Detroit down. The Capitals took over in the third period and never looked back.
The penalty kill looked good for the second straight night. The power play looked bad, really bad. Regardless, the game wasn’t the train wreck it felt like. Hopefully the team can maintain a strong PK tonight but find their scoring touch again.
Montreal is a unicorn early in the season. The Habs struggled mightily but handily defeated Detroit in both contests. Perhaps home ice can produce a better result? Shockingly, this is a team that Detroit is ahead off (barely in some cases) in 5 stat categories:
Goals for - 2.87 (13th) to 2.13 (31st)
Goals against - 3.2 (26th) to 3.33 (27th)
Faceoff% - 49.8 (17th) to 46.5 (29th)
PK - 74.5% (26th) to 69.2%(29th)
PP - 16% (25th) to 15.4 (26th)
Some of those are so close it’s basically a tie. Still, how does this team shut down Edmonton’s power play and find a win but get shut out by Fucale? The game is just strange sometimes. Right now, Montreal is in Detroit’s head. They feel good about the matchup. Bertuzzi and Larkin should be available, and both are sorely missed when absent. This is the last time Detroit will see Montreal this season and it would be nice to grab the win.
Congrats to Kienan Draper:
Wings prospect Kienan Draper has committed to the the University of Michigan. That program is impressive, to say the least, and not easy to get into. I’m sure it’s a thrill for the Draper family to have him playing for the Wolverines.
Some of my previous posts:
Power Play awful, PK very good in loss
New Enthusiasm for Wings, Ovi on Mt. Rushmore
Previous Post:
Wings shut down Edmonton Power Play, Nedeljkovic and Namestnikov stand tall
Wings vs Oilers pregame
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Soderblom’s value is climbing