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Moral Victories Worthless to Red Wings

Detroit has lost five in a row

Published

1 month ago

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Andrew Copp, Red Wings
Red Wings forward Andrew Copp knows that the only factor that's relevant in a playoff race is winning games.

Coaches like Derek Lalonde of the Detroit Red Wings will frequently talk about the process and playing the right way.

There’s certainly value in that factor. If a team is doing it properly, the law of averages would suggest that eventually, results will follow.

Here’s the thing, though. At the moment, there isn’t time to wait for such an evolution. Time is running out for the Red Wings and they know it.

“We’re trying to right the ship here,” Detroit forward Andrew Copp said. “Play with a certain edge, a certain tenacity.”

A little over a week ago, they were eight points clear of any team in the chase for an Eastern Conference wild card playoff spot. Today, thanks to the New York Islanders beating the Anaheim Ducks 6-1 on Sunday, they are now deadlocked, each with 72 points. And the Isles are holding a game in hand.

The Islanders have won six in a row. Heading to Buffalo for a Tuesday showdown with the Sabres that will complete a four-game road trip, the Red Wings are losers of five in succession. They fell 5-3 on Saturday to the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Wings need wins. And they need them right now.

“We’re not in the taking the positives mood,” Copp said. “We need points.”

Winnable Games Ahead For Red Wings

This week is launching a five-game run for Detroit against clubs that are currently not part of the playoff picture. After Buffalo, the Red Wings come home to face the Arizona Coyotes and then a rematch with the Sabres. Next, they go to Pittsburgh, before returning for a home date against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

They need to get at least four wins out of this run, because their season could be on the line come March 21. That’s when the Islanders are visiting Little Caesars Arena. This five-game slide got underway thanks to a 5-3 home-ice loss to the Isles.

Noting that through their last five periods he’s seeing positive signs, Lalonde retains confidence that his team will soon be pulling out of this skid.

“I just think you got to concentrate on our effort,” Lalonde said. “We did that pretty much from the second period on in Arizona (4-0 loss on Thursday) and unfortunately, we’re not getting rewarded for it. Keep an effort like that and I think we’ll have some success going forward.”

There’s another adage that NHL players and coaches often reference. It’s that they work in a results-based business.

At the present time, the results being put forth by the Red Wings are entirely unacceptable.

“Real positive steps,” Red Wings forward David Perron was pointing out following Saturday’s setback. Then he quickly was assessing how little that was worth in the playoff chase.

“I guess we’re not in a league that cares about that too much,” Perron added. “Right now we care about getting points and stuff like that.”

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