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Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Hand Bruins Second Regulation Loss

Detroit has both regulation-time decisions over Boston this season

Published

5 months ago

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Red Wings celebrate
The Red Wings has twice beaten Boston in regulation time, something no other team has done once so far this season.

Heading into Friday’s game with the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde was marveling at the consistency of the Boston Bruins.

“To be at this point in the season and they have one regulation loss?” Lalonde said. “It’s amazing.”

Make that two regulation losses, and you know what’s truly amazing? It’s been the same team handing the Bruins both of those regulation-time setbacks.

That would be the Red Wings.

Friday’s 5-2 by Detroit (10-6-3) was the first suffered by the Bruins (14-2-3) this season on home ice at TD Garden. The Red Wings also beat Boston 5-4 at Little Caesars Arena on Nov. 4.

“We know we are a good team,” Red Wings goalie Ville Husso told Bally Sports Detroit. “It’s just if we can bring it every night, every day our best game we can beat any team in this league. We’ve done a good job the last two games.”

Red Wings Finding Consistency

Consistency has frequently proven to be the hobgoblin of the Red Wings. However, Detroit’s last two games are providing hope that this team can find that consistent game that all elite teams bring to the ice with more regularity.

“We just followed up the way we played the last game from start to finish,” Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri said. Just playing the right way, the whole lineup. It’s a lot of fun when you’ve got everyone on the same page.”

Much like Wednesday’s 4-0 home-ice win over the New Jersey Devils, the Wings started on time and really never took their foot off the gas. When Boston did score, Detroit was quick to answer with a goal and quell any hope of the Bruins building momentum. Twice, the Red Wings tallied on the power play.

“Simple,” was how Lalonde described Detroit’s game. “We were north, we had some really good puck management. We worked off the forecheck early. Just a really good start.

“I just think when we play our game, and that’s not giving up time and space, we’re on top of people and we’re playing simple. We’re not fueling their offense with either poor puck play or just not managing our game correctly.

“I thought our guys were very focused and locked in. Pretty complete road game against a very good team.”

Lalonde Goes Against Form Charts

The age-old hockey axiom is that you don’t change a winning lineup. Opting to ignore that, Lalonde would insert Husso in place of Alex Lyon, giving his No. 1 goalie a start for the first time since Nov. 11. Husso, who’s been critical of his own performance, hadn’t played since his wife gave birth to their first child. He turned in perhaps his best performance of the season.

“Excellent,” was Lalonde’s assessment of his goalie’s performance. “It’s been a long time for him. Not stale at all.

“Give him some credit. He was away from the rink for a little bit and he put his work in and was very sharp tonight.”

Forward Klim Kostin was also reinserted after being a healthy scratch for the win over New Jersey. Defenseman Jake Walman was out for Detroit.

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