Honestly, if the Detroit Red Wings are going to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, were you actually thinking they’d be doing so any other way than the path they are choosing?

That would be the hard way.

They’re proven time and again this season that it’s the only way they know how to do things. And somehow, some way, they keep on finding a method to make it work.

They did so again on Monday at Little Caesars Arena. Needing at minimum a point to maintain their pursuit of a postseason position, the Red Wings were trailing the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 late in the second period.

When all was said and done, however, it was Detroit that would ultimately prevail, by a 5-4 count in overtime.

It was the third straight OT game for the Red Wings. As well, it was the 13th time this season they’ve been able to rally from a third-period deficit to claim victory.

Red Wings Keep Stayin’ Alive

No one can question this team’s competiveness.

Their defensive acumen, their ability to start on time? Yeah, go ahead and question that all day long.

However, this team possesses an inate ability to keep on fighting and find a way to overcome their own shortcomings.

Red Wings center J.T. Compher described it as a combination of desperation and belief.

“The biggest thing is we still believed in each other and the group,” Compher said. “We never gave up.

LUCAS RAYMOND, TWICE IS SO NICE!

After netting the tying goal, Lucas Raymond secures a MASSIVE two points for the @DetroitRedWings with the @Energizer overtime winner to keep them in the #StanleyCup Playoffs Wild Card race! pic.twitter.com/mFWrq5YdnZ

— NHL (@NHL) April 16, 2024

“Down three goals, we’ve come back. I don’t know what the number is, but Newsy (coach Derek Lalonde) said it after the second intermission that we’ve done it a lot this year.

“When you do things consistently, that’s what causes the belief that we can get back into the game and get the two points we needed.”

Red Wings Don Rally Caps Yet Again

Consider Detroit’s last three games as Exhibits A, B and C in this belief system. Down 5-3 at Pittsburgh on Thursday with 6:51 left in regulation, the Red Wings would score twice to force overtime. They got a point from a 6-5 setback.

Saturday at Toronto, they would squander a 4-1 first period lead, but win 5-4 in OT. Monday, it was once more time again for the Wings to don their rally caps.

DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' #LGRW pic.twitter.com/cgqWcLcnv7

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 16, 2024

Compher’s second goal of the game at 15:59 of the second frame would narrow the deficit to 4-2. Alex DeBrincat scored midway through the third period. Then with the goalie pulled, Lucas Raymond would tie the score at 18:43. Raymond’s goal at 4:25 of OT was the decider.

Living To Fight Another Day

It’s still an uphill battle for Detroit, but the Red Wings remain in with a chance. Washington is holding the final Eastern Conference wild card with 89 points. That’s the same total as the Wings. However, the Capitals win the tiebreaker with Detroit, which is regulation wins.

Detroit must win Tuesday at Montreal and hope that Washington gets no more than one point at Philadelphia. That’s the easier path to the playoffs for the Wings.

Should they get one point at Montreal, the Red Wings would need Washington to lose in regulation at Philly and Pittsburgh to get no more than one point in the club’s regular-season finale on Wednesday against the New York Islanders.

Detroit loses every playoff tiebreaker, so the Wings must finish ahead in points to make the playoffs.

“We know what we need to do,” Compher said. All (Monday) did was give us an opportunity to finish the job (Tuesday).

“We’ll control what we can control, which is our game. But all we did was give ourselves a chance to finish the job (Tuesday).”

The post Red Wings Remarkable Comeback Win; Keep Doing Things The Hard Way appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Entering Tuesday’s home date with the Washington Capitals, the Detroit Red Wings talked confidently of being in control of their own destiny in the race for the final Eastern Conference wild card spot in the NHL playoffs.

Today, that’s no longer the case, and they can thank a pair of veteran players who wear Stanley Cup rings for this dilemma.

A 2-1 loss to the Capitals was the result of ill-advised decisions with the puck made by experienced forwards J.T. Compher and David Perron that both resulted in Washington goals during the final 2:13 of the second period.

“Those were controllable situations,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde of the two miscues that led to Capitals tallies. “We gave them some zone time and some looks off of some turnovers.”

Late in the middle frame with the game scoreless, trouble began brewing the Detroit zone. Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry broke his stick. Forward Alex DeBrincat would then hand his twig off to his teammate.

#ALLCAPS 1-0. DYLAN MF STROME. 300TH CAREER POINT. pic.twitter.com/hTQ2aDcgXt

— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) April 10, 2024

“Jeff broke his stick in the corner,” explained Perron. “Cat gives him his stick and it’s kind of a mini five-on-four for a little bit and they found a way.”

The path to that way was paved via a terrible decision by Compher. Attempting to clear the puck, he threw it directly up the middle of the ice – the only place along the Detroit blueline where a Washington player was situated.

Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary blocked the clearing attempt. He fed the puck to Dylan Strome, who’d rifle a shot past Detroit netminder Alex Lyon for the opening goal.

Red Wings Giving Away Goals

For the second time in as many Detroit one-goal losses, veteran forward Perron had his fingerprints all over the deciding goal. Friday, it was his third-period penalty that led to the New York Rangers scoring on the power play in a 4-3 victory over Detroit.

Tuesday, with the clock winding down on the second frame, Perron threw a pass back toward his own end in the direction of defenseman Moritz Seider.

Alex Ovechkin sets the NHL RECORD with his 18th career 30 goal season pic.twitter.com/r7hm5Q14ed

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 10, 2024

Seider was unable to control the puck and it would bounce to the last person any Red Wings player would want to see with the puck on his stick, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. He sent a sizzling shot into the net and it was 2-0 Washington with 7.3 seconds left until the second intermission.

“Just not the greatest pass by me,” Perron admitted. “I got to put that on his stick.

“That’s a play we do all the time. Sometimes it goes up, sometimes you hit the weakside D coming up the ice and just unfortunate I didn’t make the right play on his stick.

“Sometimes it happens and he handles it, this time he didn’t handle it and it went back the other way and Ovechkin scored. Not a great play by me.”

Poor Puck Management Punishing Detroit

Poor puck management has victimized the Red Wings all season long. These self-inflicted mistakes were Hockey 101 stuff. You learn early never to throw the puck out of your zone up the middle of the ice. Likewise, the last thing you want to do with the puck as the period is nearing a conclusion is send it back toward your own net.

Tuesday, those bad decisions put the Red Wings behind the eight ball, handing the Caps a playoff position. Detroit is now trailing Washington (85 points). The Red Wings are in a deadlock with Pittsburgh (84 points). They’re heading next to the Steel City for a Thursday showdown with the Penguins.

“This one certainly stings,” Lalonde was admitting. “We still have some games to play. If we take care of business, I still think we’re in this thing.

“It’s just gonna be a little harder now, obviously, going into Pittsburgh, into Toronto. It stinks, it happens.”

The post Veteran Mistakes Derail Red Wings Again appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Detroit Red Wings hadn’t won since March 21. Alex Lyon hadn’t won since Feb. 27.

Both of those skids came to a halt Monday, and so did the gloom and doom surrounding Detroit’s diminishing playoff chances.

David Perron’s goal with 2:40 left in regulation time would snap a 2-2 tie, propelling the Red Wings to a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The outcome brought a halt to Detroit’s 0-2-2 losing skid during this five-game road trip.

Back on top! DP_57 bangs home the rebound, and the Red Wings re-take the lead late in the third period! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/7pAhCOo68d

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) April 2, 2024

“None bigger goal than DP’s goal at the end and he’s been in the battle the whole season, he always is,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin told Bally Sports Detroit. “For him to score the big one, it was just a veteran player that knows how to play in these big games.”

It’s also the first time in franchise history that the Red Wings have swept a season series of three or more games from the Lightning. As well, Detroit was ending a nine-game (0-7-2) winless drought on the road.

Red Wings Tied With Capitals

More significantly, the outcome is leaving Detroit and Washington in a deadlock for the final Eastern Conference wild card playoff spot. Each team has 82 points. However, the Capitals (73 games) hold two games in hand on the Red Wings and the first tiebreaker. Washington has 28 regulation wins, compared to 26 for Detroit.

Lucas Raymond puts the exclamation point on this one with an empty netter! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/agHlqfLq4R

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) April 2, 2024

“We’ve been playing really good team hockey recently,” Perron said. “Obviously, we know how many points we need to keep advancing, being in the fight. I’ve liked our recent play. We just gotta keep pushing, keep getting points.”

Elsewhere Monday, the Philadelphia Flyers were losing 4-3 in overtime to the New York Islanders. The OT point was enough to move Philly (83 points) back into third spot in the Metropolitan Division, ahead of the Capitals. But the Flyers have played 76 games.

Rasmussen Suffers Injury Late In Game

Center J.T. Compher won the offensive-zone draw that led to Perron’s game winner. He led all Detroit forwards in ice time with 23:10.

Lucas Raymond would tally an empty netter. Patrick Kane and Robby Fabbri scored earlier to twice give the Red Wings the lead, only to see the Lightning tie it each time.

“It’s been hard,” Larkin admitted. “These games have been hard, intense. (In this game) we got rewarded with playing the right way and hard, battling.”

Ending a personal 0-8-2 slide, Detroit goalie Lyon was stellar, blocking 34 shots.

“Even when things weren’t going his way he just stuck with it,” Larkin said. “Like I said, it’s hard. You got (Nikita) Kucherov and (Brayden) Point out there. They’re roaming around, making world-class plays.”

At the other end of the spectrum, fourth-line center Joe Veleno played just 4:42.

“Veleno, just kind of ran into some matchup issues, some special teams, we used him late a couple times,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said.

Late in the, winger Michael Rasmussen left the ice following a collision along the boards.

“Ras left with an upper body,” Lalonde said. “Don’t know much more about it.”

The post Red Wings Back in Playoff Hunt With Sweep of Lightning appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Flailing and failing is nothing new to the Detroit Red Wings when spending time in the Sunshine State. Doom and gloom frequently follow them during their forays into Florida.

Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Panthers was Detroit’s seventh loss in eight games at Florida (1-5-2). Over the long haul, the news isn’t much better when visiting Tampa Bay, Monday’s destination.

The Red Wings have been winners in just three of their last 22 trips to face the Lightning. However, when you put more recency into the review, it actually favors Detroit. The Wings have won two of three there and three of the last five.

Red Wings vs Lightning

Monday: Red Wings at Tampa Bay

Where: Amalie Arena

TV/RADIO: Bally Sports/97.1 FM

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Red Wings Preview

Defenseman Jake Walman (lower-body injury) is back following a six-game absence. Olli Maatta will be a healthy scratch . . .  Looking for his first win since Feb. 27, Alex Lyon gets the start in goal . . . After scoring seven goals in a five-game span, Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond has been limited to one assist over the past five games . . Forward Zach Aston-Reese was given reassignment to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins without playing a game for Detroit.

UPDATE: The Detroit #RedWings today assigned forward Zach Aston-Reese to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. pic.twitter.com/pbQDtCTxwX

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 31, 2024

Alex DeBrincat and J.T. Compher both have one goal over their past 15 games . . . Austin Czarnik’s lone point as a Detroit player this season came on Oct. 18 . . . Projected lines for Detroit are Dylan Larkin-Patrick Kane-DeBrincat, Compher-David Perron-Raymond, Andrew Copp-Michael Rasmussen-Christian Fischer, Joe Veleno-Robby Fabbri-Czarnik.

Lightning Preview

Tampa Bay is 8-0-1 through the past nine games. Over that span, the Lightning have outscored the opposition 40-18.

Let the good times roll.

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 31, 2024

Lightning star Nikita Kucherov has 4-16-20 totals over the past nine games. He has posted a career-high 19 games of three or more points this season . . . Forward Brayden Point has goals in 13 of the last 18 games . . . Defenseman Victor Hedman is over 70 points in a season for the third time in his NHL career . . . Former Red Wings center Luke Glendening is leading the Lightning in faceoff percentage at 56.7%. Glendening is showing the unique stat line of 10 goals and one assist this seeason.

The post Red Wings vs. Lightning: Lines, Notes & How to Watch appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The playoffs are officially still 11 games away, but forgive the Detroit Red Wings for feeling like they are already playing for their lives every time they take the ice.

“We’ve been in playoff mode for a while now,” Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot said.

Big trip. pic.twitter.com/C7Gm0iIYcL

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 25, 2024

That will certainly be the case on Tuesday.

At Washington to face to Capitals, Detroit is trailing the Caps by one point for the second Eastern Conference wild card spot. Making matters more concerning for the Wings, the Capitals are also holding a game in hand over Detroit.

“It’s exciting, it’s a fun time of year,” said Detroit forward Patrick Kane, a three-time Stanley Cup winner. “It’s almost like you’re in playoffs right now, even though we have 11 games left.

“You look at (this) like a playoff game. Obviously it’s the team ahead of us in the standings. If we beat them, we’re in a playoff spot. They have a game in hand and they’re playing really well right now, so it’ll be a good test for us.”

Game Time/How to Watch

7 p.m., ET, Bally Sports

Red Wings Preview

Alex Lyon will be in goal for the Red Wings, making his second consecutive start. He’s lost his last eight decisions.

“I just try to keep the same mentality, keep positive,” Lyon said. “It’s very difficult but those are the important things. You’re gonna change your game all the time. You’re always gonna be tweaking the way you feel. How’s my body feeling, how’s my brain feeling, my emotions? But the most important thing is to just continue to fight. Keeping that fight and that energy is vital.”

Defenseman Jake Walman is still sidelined with an undisclosed injury. That means Simon Edvinsson is still playing in Detroit’s top four defenseman . . . Defenseman Dan Petry (illness) is good to go. The Red Wings lines are expected to be David Perron-Dylan Larkin-Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat-J.T. Compher-Patrick Kane, Michael Rasmussen-Andrew Copp-Christian Fischer, Robby Fabbri-Joe Veleno-Austin Czarnik . . . On Monday, the Red Wings assigned forward Jonatan Berggren to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins.

Detroit has been shut out three times over the past 11 games, including Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Nashville.

“Definitely some good things from the game,” Red Wings forward J.T. Compher said. “Need to create a little more offensively, not be as selective with our shots. Defensively a lot of good things.”

Capitals Preview

Since an 8-3 loss to the Red Wings at Detroit on Feb. 27, Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren is 8-3-0 with a 2.22 GAA, .923 save percentage and two shutouts . . . The Capitals are 4-1 over their past five games and 12-5-1 over the last 18 games. They are 6-2 in their last eight home games.

Alex Ovechkin celebrating his goal with his son behind the glass is everything #allcaps. pic.twitter.com/JfVgg6sRmP

— Alex Micheletti (@AlexMicheletti) March 25, 2024

Washington star Alex Ovechkin has eight goals over his past five games, including a pair of game winners . . . Capitals tough guy Tom Wilson will be sitting out the second of a six-game NHL suspension for high sticking . . . Defenseman John Carlson is riding a five-game point streak (2-3-5).

The post Playoff Race: Red Wings vs. Capitals; Lines, Notes, How to Watch appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Over the past two summers, Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has sought to address his team’s center position. He’s given lengthy term to both Andrew Copp (five years, $28.125 million) and J.T. Compher (five years, $25.5 million).

Thowing money at the problem isn’t solving the problem, though. The injury absence of captain Dylan Larkin is seving to yet again establish what most everyone in the game already knew.

The Red Wings still don’t have a second legit top-six center on the club’s roster, a player capable of consistently driving offense.

That’s not to suggest that Copp and Compher aren’t offering value to the team. Copp is a tenacious forechecker and stout penalty killer.

“I don’t think Steve had the vision of needly only the offense out of them,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said of Copp and Compher. “It’s growing our depth.”

Clearly, though, Copp is not a No. 2 center. He has two assists with Larkin out of the lineup. He’s goalless over the past 16 games.

Compher is a solid 200-foot player capable of helping the team in many areas.

“I’ve got to be careful how I use him,” Lalonde admitted. “There’s some games he’s getting 22, 23 (minutes). I don’t know if that’s healthy or productive for him over time.”

While he’s filled in as a second-line center during his NHL career, over the long haul on a quality team, Compher is merely an upgraded version of Copp. He’s not a No. 2 center.

JT on the power play. pic.twitter.com/winRi1r2NW

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 10, 2024

His goal against Vegas on Saturday was Compher’s first point in five games.

Veleno Not The Answer For Red Wings

Lalonde sought to utilize Joe Veleno as Larkin’s replacement between Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat on the club’s top line. The results speak volumes about this not being the answer. In three games, Veleno is pointless and -3. The Red Wings coach gave up the experiment on Saturday, moving Compher into the top-line slot.

“He needs to be more assertive with the puck,” Lalonde said of Veleno.

The more you see of Veleno, the less appealing he becomes, although admittedly, it didn’t start out that way. He’s played 15+ minutes of ice time in 29 games this season. Over the first 12 games, his production showed four goals, three assists and a +3 rating. In 17 games since, Veleno has one goal, three assists and is -14.

When he’s been asked to step up in Larkin’s absence this season, the data adds up even more abysmally. In those nine games, Veleno is 1-2-3 and -9.

Kasper Cut From Same Cloth

According to NHL scouts who’ve seen a lot of Marco Kasper this season with AHL the Grand Rapids Griffins, he’s going to be more of the same. His 200-foot game is outstanding. Kasper plays with an edge to his game.

Will Detroit’s top pick in the 2022 NHL entry draft produce consistently at the NHL level? Most hockey people doubt it.

Nate banks one home for his 21st of the season! pic.twitter.com/lgPUPSbkAo

— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) March 7, 2024

In fact, the only center currently in the Detroit system who’s showing an offensive upside is Nate Danielson. Chosen ninth overall in the 2023 draft, Danielson is displaying 21 goals and 56 points in 48 WHL games this season. Since moving from the Brandon Wheat Kings to the Portland Winterhawks, Danielson has accounted for 9-21-30 totals over 22 games.

The post Red Wings Center Position Needs More Attention appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

LAS VEGAS — It was a sure bet that someone’s four-game losing streak was coming to an end Saturday night.

Unfortunately for the Detroit Red Wings, their losing skid became five with a 5-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jonathan Marchessault had a hat trick for Vegas, including a game-winner with 2:44 remaining in regulation and an empty-netter with 1:07 left.

The result dropped Detroit into the final wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Tampa Bay beat the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0 earlier Saturday. The New York Islanders are now two points behind with two games in hand.

The Red Wings never led. They trailed 2-0 until Michael Rasmussen scored in the final minute of the first period. It stayed that way until J.T. Compher and Shayne Gostisphere tied the game twice in the third period.

Later in the game, Rasmussen left the contest with an undisclosed injury. Detroit coach Derek Lalonde had no update after the game.

It was the third loss in four days for the Red Wings, who look to salvage one game from the road  trip with a date at Buffalo on Tuesday.

Red Wings Have Better Effort

Despite the loss, Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde felt better about is team’s effort that in a loss at Arizona on Friday.

“We outshot them 13-5 in third period,” Lalonde said afterward. “It’s just one of those stretches where we literally have to open nets on the same play under five minutes. And they gave a goal off a blocked-shot ping-pong back-door  tap-in, so it is what it is, like I said, a really good effort. I think if we can sustain an effort like that, we’ll be we’ll be successful more times than not, can’t get frustrated.”

Forward David Perron preached patience and saw a better effort from the Wings.

“With the performance we put up (Friday), we wanted to come out and definitely fight for each other out there,” he said. “I thought we did that and we stayed in the game all night.”

Jonatan Berggren joined the Red Wings from Grand Rapids for the first time since December. He replaced Klim Kostin, who had been traded to San Jose earlier in the day. Berggren was -2 with no points in the game.

James Reimer had 31 saves on 35 shots. The. Red Wings were outshot 36-26.

The post Luck Runs Out For Red Wings in Vegas appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Sunday is going to be a huge night for a legendary Chicago Blackhawks star who wound up playing for the Detroit Red Wings.

Oh, and it’s also Patrick Kane’s homecoming to the Windy City.

As the Blackhawks raise the No. 7 of Hall of Famer Chris Chelios into the rafters of the United Center, Kane will be playing for the first time as a visiting player in Chicago.

It only took Patrick Kane 33 seconds to open the scoring for the Red Wings pic.twitter.com/09wLBIbbyg

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) February 24, 2024

He’s expecting it to be emotional and knows succinctly what it means to him.

“Everything,” Kane said. “With my family and the fans, and obviously it’s a big night, too, with Chelios’ jersey getting retired. I think it’ll just be a fun night in general.”

Kane did it all in Chicago and for Chicago. He was part of three Stanley Cup winners. His Cup-winning goal in 2010 was the first scored by a Blackhawks player since 1961. Kane won a Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, a Hart Trophy as regular-season MVP and a scoring title.

Red Wings Kane Knew It Was Time To Go

As much as it was a wonderful time in his life and hockey career, Kane also knew that it was time to go when he left last season in a trade with the New York Rangers.

“It was a great run,” Kane said. “I think we were kind of at the point in time where for the organization and myself it was probably good to start fresh and just enjoy something different.”

He helped Chicago rises from the ashes to ascend the top of the hockey world, and is helping the Red Wings make a similar journey. In Kane’s first season here, Detroit is occupying a playoff spot. The Red Wings and the postseason haven’t been together in a relationship since 2016.

“Obviously happy about everything we accomplished there and what we were able to do, especially my first 8-9 years there,” Kane said. “Now really excited and happy to be here and the opportunity with this group and what we can accomplish this year.”

Kane Grew Hockey In Chicago

If Kane wants any further evidence of his impact on the game in Chicago, he only need glance around the Red Wings locker room. Red Wings center J.T. Compher, whose birthplace is Northbrook, Illinois, is of the belief that the presence of Kane and those powerhouse Blackhawks teams drew him and other Chicago kids to opt for donning skates and chasing pucks.

“I don't care too much what people say. If I can be anything like him, that's pretty great, the career he had. I'm my own person and player and everything, so I'll do what I do and he does what he does.”

—Connor Bedard and whether he minds comparisons to Patrick Kane pic.twitter.com/QhkjpXjxSv

— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) February 23, 2024

“He did a lot for those teams,” Compher said. “It was so much fun getting to watch him when I was younger. He was a big part of why the Chicago kids around my age play so much hockey and why hockey’s so big.

“Those teams were huge for that area.”

As Kane makes his homecoming to his first NHL home, Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde is expecting the man they call Showtime to be putting on a show for the Chicago faithful.

“He’s such a competitor, I think he’ll have a big-time game,” Lalonde said.

The post Kane Homecoming Secondary Story As Red Wings Visit Blackhawks appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

One thing that can be stated with certainty about this season’s edition of the Detroit Red Wings is that when the team is in need of a response, they come up with the answers.

Such was the case on Saturday afternoon in Calgary.

Coming off consecutive losses to launch a four-game Western road trip in which they were outscored 12-5, the Red Wings physically extinguished the Calgary Flames by a 5-0 count. In doing so, they virtually extinguished the candles on Harvey’s birthday cake. Harvey, the club’s dog mascot, was celebrating 40 years with the Flames on Saturday.

“It’s not so much about the losing streak, it’s about how to get out of them,” Red Wings goaltender James Reimer told Bally Sports Detroit. “Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t.

“It’s about the character and getting out of it. Two (losses) in a row isn’t what you want. Our response was on point.”

Detroit got first-period goals from Patrick Kane and J.T. Compher. Kane (2-4-6) has points in all four games since returning from injury. Compher has registered a point in five of the last six games.

Second-period tallies by Dylan Larkin and David Perron wound up chasing Flames starting goalie Jacob Markstrom from the game. According to ny state sports betting analyzed by Sportytrader, Markstrom is among the most likely NHLers to be dealt before the March 8 NHL trade deadline. The New Jersey Devils, chasing Detroit for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, are seen as potential suitors for Markstrom.

Raymond's 15th! pic.twitter.com/dq1aRM0alZ

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 17, 2024

Lucas Raymond beat Flames backup goalie Dan Vladar late in the third period to complete the scoring. Five different Detroit players tallied and 11 Red Wings were supplying at least one point in the win.

“It means a lot to get as many guys as possible involved,” Raymond said. “I think that’s one of our biggest strengths, the depth we have, the way guys produce up and down the lineup.”

Reimer Shuts The Door

Playing for the first time since Jan. 23 and making only his second start of 2024, Reimer was as sharp as could be. He kicked out 38 shots for his 30th NHL shutout and second against the Flames. Reimer hasn’t lost since Dec. 27.

“I was well rested, so I thought I might as well make as many saves as possible,” Reimer said.

A stellar 38-save performance equals one well-deserved shutout for James Reimer, helping the Red Wings break their skid! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/niubCSWYXu

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) February 17, 2024

In his last two starts, Reimer is 2-0 with a shutout and a .971 save percentage. Saturday, he made 28 stops through the first two periods.

“Honestly, you don’t focus on much more except your own game, whether you’re gonna make 35 saves in the first (period), or two,” Reimer said. “You want to get to your spots, you want to be big, you want to try to read the play. I was able to do that, and some huge blocks from the guys, too. And like any shutout, a couple of nice breaks off the posts.

“Just a classic shutout.”

Red Wings Penalty Kill Perfect Again

Detroit successfully killed off all five Calgary power plays, including a 5-on-3 scenario for 1:32 in the third period.

Over the past seven games, the Red Wings are a perfect 23-for-23 when shorthanded. Through the past 12 games, they’ve allowed one power-play goal (28-for-29). That’s a 96.5% success rate.

“Special teams huge tonight, both the power play and the penalty kill,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “A pretty good road win against a very good team.”

The post Red Wings End Slump, Blank Flames appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

VANCOUVER — For the second time in less than a week, the Detroit Red Wings trailed Vancouver 3-1 on Thursday.

But, unlike Saturday’s 4-3 overtime win, a comeback wasn’t in the cards as the Canucks took a 4-1 win at Rogers Centre. That opened the door for Vancouver defenseman Nikita Zadorov to mock the Jake Walman ‘Griddy’ dance after scoring a goal. Walman did the Griddy after scoring on a penalty shot in the Detroit win.

Zadorov mocking Walman with a little griddy action.

See? This is how you settle these things. Not with blatant cross checks to the face. With accidental high sticks and revenge dances.

Morgan Reilly has a lot to learn. pic.twitter.com/wKONYJeNha

— Wyatt Arndt (@TheStanchion) February 16, 2024

Some of the Vancouver players didn’t appreciate the Walman ‘Griddy’ when they lost.

Two early goals gave the NHL-leading Canucks the lead in the first period, and they never looked back.

“Going down 2-0, I don’t care what team you’re playing against. It’s going to be a battle to come back,” Christian Fischer said. “That’s just not the way you want to start on the road.”

Wings 0-2 on Four-Game Road Trip

It was the second loss in a row during a four-game Western road swing for the Wings, who play at Calgary on Saturday.

The loss left the Red Wings in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of New Jersey and four points behind seventh-place Toronto.

J.T. Compher scored in the second period, his 100th career goal. It was the 66th by a Red Wings player who wasn’t on the team last year, the most in the NHL.

The Canucks went into the game downplaying news that Phil Kessel had begun skating with their Abbotsford (AHL) farm team, but ended the night showing the form which has lifted them to the best record in the NHL.

J.T Miller and Elias Lindholm scored less than two minutes apart in the first period. Nikita Zadorov made it 3-0 in the second before Compher’s goal. Lindholm ended the scoring with his second goal of the game in the third period.

Red Wings Shut Out on Power Play

The Wings outshot the Canucks 27-21, but Thatcher Demko shone in goal. He’s been the epitome of red-hot in net recently, improving to 18-2-1 in his last 21 decisions.

“I think for holding a team like that to 21 shots, we’re gonna look back and probably gave up maybe six chances the entire night,” coach Derek Lalonde said.

The Red Wings were 0-for-5 on the poser play.

“We didn’t finish on the power play,” Lalonde said. “A lot of that has probably to do with Demko as a lot of a five on five game too, so probably need to do a little bit more maybe generate a little bit more around the network a little bit harder offense when the goalie’s on like that.”

Vancouver became the first team to record 80 points this season with the win.

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