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Detroit’s losing streak goes to 3 as another team scores 4 |
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Game Summary:
Before I get into the 3rd straight loss where Detroit has let in 4 goals, there was a really nice moment for me early in the game. The VGK skater Cotter (#43) a kid from Canton was mentioned. It was a coach named Rob Krohl that gave him a shot in the U16 division of Little Caesar’s hockey. Well, Rob and I used to ride the school bus in Middle School and high school. I’d walk over to his place and we’d hang out. Milan didn’t have hockey, so he was the source of what got me into the game.
Rob had the “Hockey Night in Canada” home game (came with a VHS tape), we’d play “blades of steel” on his NES, watch the old movie “Youngblood” and he just lived for hockey. His parents would drive him to Ann Arbor to play in the youth leagues there. I’m incredibly proud of a good friend who stuck with his passion and has helped others do the same.
Now, on to this disastrous home stand. 4 goals in 3 straight games let in, 3 losses (1 of 6 points gained). The team has not looked good to start off these games. Whatever is going on, someone needs to step up and start these guys on time. Husso isn’t bailing them out right now the way that he had been on the 4 game win streak. We’re about to see the Florida teams, and have 2 back to backs over the next week or so. It’s not going to get easier.
I’ve kind of gone back and forth on this. Expectations are higher this year, and there have been improvements. Detroit, at this point, has more points from newly acquired players (70) than any other team. Bertuzzi wasn’t playing like himself and went right back to IR. Vrana? I have no clue. Fabbri has good moments and seems to energize the team but it’s going to take more than his return to get things going.
In an 82 game season, you have slumps. That’s just reality. Eichel was completely alone in front of the goal to start the scoring. That’s past just a missed assignment. (No clue what took him off the ice at the end). Detroit had chances but keep missing the net. Did a new batch of sticks come in? The puck is bouncing like crazy at LCA. Players are having a hard time wrangling it and making poor decisions on pass vs. shoot.
Maybe a quick turn around against Columbus is a good thing. Regardless, something needs to snap these players out of their funk. It’s not fun to watch fumbled passes and lost opportunities. Someone needs to step up and rally the troops. Final shots were 25 apiece. Even though one was an empty netter, that’s still far too few shots for 3 of them to go in for VGK. Eichel’s goal was lapse in coverage. Kessel’s goal was the dreaded end of PK out of the box breakaway.
I don’t expect trades right now in the sense that it’s fairly obvious that Toronto, Tampa and Boston should finish ahead of this team. Florida seems to be a different team year after year. But, we did just send the waiver wire pickup goalie for conditioning. From that standpoint, I wonder if something is indeed in the works. Maybe not anything earth shattering, but a shakeup may help get some focus back in the room.
First Period Red Wings goals:
No Detroit goals in the first
Just 1:04 into the game Eichel positioned himself perfectly at the side of Detroit’s net and found the back of the net on a rebound from Husso.
Shots: 9-6 Detroit
Score:1-0 Vegas
Second Period Red Wings goals:
At 7:20 VGK scores on PP
At 11:37 Sundqvist returned the favor as Detroit broke through on the power play. Kubalik and Larkin with the assists. Kubalik got a cross ice pass from Larkin and found Sundqvist alone in front of the Vegas net.
At 16:32 Kessel, fresh out of the box, gets a 1 on 0 and restores the 2 goal lead for VGK
Shots: 15-15
Score: 3-1 VGK
Third Period Red Wings goals:
No Wings goals in the third
At 17:00 Reilly Smith scored and empty net goal to wrap this one up. 3rd straight loss, 3rd straight where Detroit let in 4
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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