For the first time during the NHL season, the Detroit Red Wings are facing life without Michael Rasmussen. In the past, they’ve not faced up to that fact very well.

Rasmussen is going to be out for Friday’s home game against the New York Rangers and perhaps even longer. He was suffering an upper-body injury in a collision along the boards late in Monday’s 4-2 Detroit win at Tampa Bay over the Lightning.

Michael Rasmussen (day-to-day) will be unavailable on Friday, per Coach Lalonde.

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 3, 2024

“Rasumussen will be out on Friday,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde was confirming following practice on Wednesday. “He’ll be day to day. I don’t know if we’ll see him over the weekend but we’ll get a better feel Friday.”

Detroit is to play host to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday afternoon.

Rasmussen has yet to miss a game this season. The hulking 6-foot-6 forward has proven to be a stellar presence on an identity line alongside fellow grinders Andrew Copp and Christian Fischer. With 13 goals this season, Rasmussen is among 13 Red Wings players to net double digits in tallies.

Red Wings Get Hard, North Game From Rasmussen

The Red Wings roster is rich with guys who play a straightahead, hard-nosed game. That’s where Rasmussen’s value is truly measurable.

“We’ve had a little success there getting that line back together, him, Copp and Fisch, eats up really good minutes,” Lalonde said of the success of that unit. “You talk about the dynamic and what it looks like matchup-wise, it’s a different dynamic when those guys are in.

“Maybe the way we’re built, he gives us some hard, and some size. He’s around the net, he’s helping drive his line off the forecheck.

“That will be a miss for us. We’ll feel that a little bit.”

MICHAEL RASMUSSEN! DETROIT! FINALLY!
Haven't needed a goal more all season! pic.twitter.com/U9qYSjsY5f

— Red Wings Rant (@Red_Wings_Rant) March 10, 2024

They’ve certainly missed the aspect that Rasmussen brings to the ice in the past. Last season, he was out for 26 games – two due to NHL suspension and 24 due to injury. Detroit went 8-16-2 in Rasmussen’s absence. That’s just 18 out of a possible 52 points gained.

Joe Veleno, who saw limited duty in Monday’s win, seeing only 4:42 of ice time, gets the first chance to fill Rasmussen’s role.

“We’ll probably slide Veleno in there and you hope Joe can give us very similar type of play as far as some size, skating and getting to those hard areas,” Lalonde said.

The post Red Wings Will Miss Rasmussen appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Detroit Red Wings fans awoke this morning in the worst possible of moods for a sports fan base. Excitement has long since evaporated. While there are pockets of anger visible, for the most part, even this trait is fading.

Hopelessness, despair, and perhaps worst of all, acceptance, are the emotions of the day most evident among the Hockeytown faithful.

“Playoff chances are long gone,” read Red Wings fan Ronnie White’s post on Facebook.

Long gone? Really?

Look, we get the angst you’re feeling. It’s understandable. This is not a group with a track record of getting things done in the clutch.

Detroit is 0-2-1 so far on this season-long five-game road trip. The Red Wings squandered a third-period lead and lost 4-3 in overtime at Washington. They failed to score in the other two games. And they’ve surrendered eight goals over the past two setbacks.

“Damn, I miss Jonathan Ericsson on the blueline,” posted Red Wings Brasil on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “Yep. That’s where we’re at.

Damn, I miss Johnathan Ericsson on the blueline.
Yep. That's where we are at.#LGRW#RedWings

— Red Wings Brasil (@RedWingsBR) March 29, 2024

Looking ahead to games against the Florida Panthers (Saturday, 12:30 p.m.) and Tampa Bay Lightning (Monday, 7 p.m.), the horizon certainly does appear to be offering nothing but bleakness.

“It puts a lot of pressure on us,” Red Wings forward Christian Fischer admitted to Bally Sports Detroit. “Tampa and Florida coming up are two really good teams, playoff teams.”

That’s why you all need to step back and encompass the bigger picture. Both Washington and Philadelphia also lost Thursday night.

Over? No, it isn’t over. Detroit is only two points in arrears to the Capitals. One Red Wings win, coupled with a Washington loss, and the fellows with the winged wheel on their chests are back in the playoff picture.

Red Wings Still In With A Chance

What we’re saying, in the immortal words of Lloyd Christmas, is that there’s still a chance. And unlike his dream of dating Lauren Holly’s character in Dumb And Dumber, in this instance, that chance holds some vailidity.

Don’t take our word for it, though. Listen to what Red Wings supporter Justin Madden posted to the Detroit Red Wings true fan page on Facebook.

“We are not the only team with a tough schedule,” Madden noted. “The Caps don’t have it easy, either. People need to chill out.”

Look, we’re not here trying to sugarcoat things.

“We’ve had some pretty good moments in this stretch,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Unfortunately, we’re 1-2-1 in our last four.”

Is it bad right now? For sure.

The thing is, it really could be a whole lot worse. So there’s that.

The post Red Wings Faithful Sure That Sky is Falling appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Believe it or not, it could have been worse for the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

The bad news began before the game, when Patrick Kane and Austin Czarnik were pregame scratches due to illness.

Then, the Carolina Hurricanes scored four goals in the second period and beat the Red Wings 4-0.

But the Washington Capitals, two points ahead of Detroit in the chase for the last playoff spot in the  Eastern Conference, fell to Toronto, 5-1, while Philadelphia, three points ahead of the Red Wings in vying for third place in the Metropolitan Division, lost to Montreal 4-1.

“Obviously, the second period was not our best,” Christian Fischer said. “Obviously there were some big breakdowns there and any time you go down 4-0, it’s gonna be really tough to climb back.”

Carolina clinched a playoff spot with the victory, their sixth in a row.

“Give them a little bit of credit with everything up against us,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “We probably needed their ‘B’ game there. Unfortunately, through 40 minutes they had their ‘A’ game.”

Second Period Crucial In Loss

The Red Wings had only three shots in the first period, but held Carolina scoreless.

The roof caved in for the Red Wings in the second period. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis each had a goat and  two assists in the period. Aho, Carolina’s leading scorer, recorded his 300th career assist. Martin Necas and Brady Skjei also scored for the Hurricanes.

“Yeah, two games which we got shut out.,” Lalonde said of the past week. “Good goalie performance in Nashville, good goalie performance tonight. But when you’re not scoring, you just you need to get harder around the nets and I would like more volume (with shots).”

The chase for the final playoff spots tightened when the New York Islanders beat Florida 3-2. The Islanders are now two points behind the Red Wings.

The loss was the third in three games on the current five-game road trip. It began with a 1-0 loss to the red-hot Nashville Predators before Tuesday’s overtime loss at Washington. Two more challenges await, at Florida Saturday and at Tampa Bay on Monday.

“Tampa and Florida coming up are two really good teams, playoff teams,” Fischer said. “It’s gonna be a  fun two games. Our backs against the wall here and we’ve gotta find a way to win  by any means. Doesn’t really matter how; we’ve got to win some games here.”

The post Red Wings’ Playoff Hopes On The Line Heading Into Weekend appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

One more game with the Detroit Red Wings and it will mean that Jonatan Beggren will have played 80 in the NHL. That would also mean a requirement to return him the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins will be clearing the Swedish forward through NHL waivers.

You might think that’s why he was sent down Monday the Red Wings as they are making a drive for their first Stanley Cup playoff spot since 2016. Howver, that isn’t the case at all.

UPDATE: The #RedWings today assigned right wing Jonatan Berggren to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. pic.twitter.com/mKTJdogKwe

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

“I think it’s our team game,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde is listing as his reason for returning Berggren to Grand Rapids. “We just talked about (playing) eight quality periods, so a little rhythm of our lines.”

Lalonde has frequently been a questioner of Berggren’s defensive responsibility. Lately, he’s also expressing similar concerns regarding veteran forward Daniel Sprong. The 17-goal scorer has been a healthy scratch the past two games.

“I’d probably put Spronger in that same boat, too,” Lalonde admitted. “Both Spronger and Berggren can produce some offense but the rhythm of our lines right now, we’ve played some really good team hockey right now, so I think it’s more about what the group is doing that’s keeping them together.

“We love the offense but we talked about not being chaotic. I think our current group right now is playing the right way, winning type of hockey.”

Czarnik Getting Call For Red Wings

Journeyman veteran Austin Czarnik has usurped both players as a regular in the Detroit lineup. Since his March 14 recall from the AHL Griffins, Lalonde has consistently been slotting in Czarnik as his fourth-line center. While he doesn’t bring anywhere near the offensive upside of Sprong or Berggren, Czarnik does deliver trustworthiness without the puck.

“(Czarnik) gives us reliable minutes,” Lalonde said. “I think he’s helped that by giving us quality minutes down the middle.”

Sticking With Lyon

Following a 31-save performance in a 1-0 loss Saturday at Nashville, the Red Wings will be staying with goalie Alex Lyon between the pipes for Tuesday’s massive tilt at Washington against the Capitals. Lyon has lost his last eight decisions. Meanwhile, James Reimer has won three in a row and six of seven.

We hear from goalie Alex Lyon after he made 31 saves in the Red Wings' 1-0 road loss to the Nashville Predators.#LGRW pic.twitter.com/FJsb1okPZG

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 23, 2024

“We’ve had this a couple times where we actually had a hard decision, which is a positive,” Lalonde said. “There’s been some times this year where we’re not sure who to start at the other end. This is a good problem.

“James is winning. Alex had a really good performance on Saturday.”

The post Red Wings Return Berggren to Grand Rapids appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Lately, as the Detroit Red Wings were squandering games and frittering away what was once a massive lead for the final NHL Eastern Conference playoff spot, who are these guys was a fair question to pose.

In more recent action, there’s been a completely different answer to this query. Just as they were doing during their impressive run during January and February, the Red Wings are again playing to an identity and with an identity. And because of that, you can once more identify this team as a success story.

You can also thank the so-called Identity Line for setting the tone and setting that bar high.

The forward unit of Christian Fischer, Andrew Copp and Michael Rasmussen were not accountable during Thursday’s huge 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders, they were also showing the way in the accounting department.

Andrew Copp right place right time for a 2-1 lead!#LGRW pic.twitter.com/io0HaxKelO

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 22, 2024

Copp scored twice, his first goals in 21 games. Fischer would open the scoring with a dynamic breakaway tally. He was good for three points. With Rasmussen dishing a pair of assists, the trio combined for seven points.

It wasn’t merely that they were setting each other up. In the process, they were setting a tone for their teammates.

This Is Red Wings Identity

That unit forechecks like fiends. They thrive in matching up with top players from the opposition and grinding them into the ice surface.

“We all have similar mindsets and obviously three big bodies,” Fischer said. “Obviously doing some matchups with other lines. The three of us, we love that type of thing.

“It’s the game within the game if you could shut down those big boys amd make life hard for them. I think we’re just on the same page.”

Thursday, that was the front page. Following a scoreless opening frame, Fischer would finally put a crooked number up on the scoreboard. Breaking into the clear down the left wing, he cut to his forehand and slipped the puck past the outstretched glove of Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin.

Christian Fischer scores on the breakaway to draw first blood!#LGRW pic.twitter.com/kLQJqKoF2q

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 22, 2024

“Came up with it on the spot,” Fischer said of his breakaway move. “It (puck) was on its side, too. We hate to see that.

“Found a way to put it in. Got a little excited there in the celebration.”

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin offered a one-word response regarding what it means to the team when that group is firing on all cylinders.

“Everything,” Larkin said. “I think we know when they’re rolling like that, they turn the game. It gives us a look. We have an identity line.

“They play hard on pucks and obviously they’re all responsible defensively. They really play in the offensive zone and wear other lines down.”

And when they’re wearing on the other team, the rest of the Wings wear it well. They step up to take advantage of the openings created for them by their identity group.

Doing It The Right Way

“Playing the right way,” is what Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde likes to call it.

“All their success came off simple hockey,” Lalonde continued. “They’re owning the middle of the ice, they’re defending correctly, they’re playing off the forecheck, everything we want out of a team game.

“They took a lot of pride in getting the (Bo) Horvat matchup tonight and they won it, and it was a big part of the win tonight.”

And just like that, Detroit is again looking like a playoff squad. The Red Wings are three points clear of Washington and five ahead of the Islanders.

For their long-suffering fans, that’s an identity that they’ll happily identify with.

The post Winning is Identity Red Wings Can Get Behind appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, as was evident midway through the third period of Saturday’s Detroit Red Wings vs Buffalo Sabres game at Little Caesars Arena.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead, the Red Wings were pulling out all the stops to protect their slim advantage. Thus, those in attendance were treated to the rare sighting of a Patrick Kane bodycheck on Buffalo forward Jordan Greenway.

Speaking of rare sights, Saturday afternoon’s tilt would end in a 4-1 victory for the home side. Detroit’s first win since Feb. 27 brought to a halt the club’s seven-game losing skid.

We hear from Christian Fischer, who scored the Wings' first goal, and James Reimer, who had 25 saves in the 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres.#LGRW pic.twitter.com/392F6fD5Oy

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 16, 2024

The win also put the Red Wings back into a playoff position. They are holding down the second Eastern Conference wild card spot, one point ahead of the New York Islanders.

Many clad in the winged wheel had a hand in this outcome. None were more of a factor in the success story than goaltender James Reimer.

Reimer Delivers For Red Wings

Handed just his third starting assignment over the past 13 games, Detroit’s veteran backup puckstopper was moving to the front of the class. Reimer parried 25 of 26 shots. He’s won four of his last five starts.

“High, high compete,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said of Reimer. “He just battled around the net. I think he lifts our guys a little bit.

“One against versus a team like that, that’s a very strong performance.”

Strong enough to bring forth an even stronger statement. As the Red Wings roll into Pittsburgh for a Sunday night showdown with the Penguins, the choice is obvious: Reimer must be given a second straight starting assignment.

Alex Lyon is deserving of plaudits for the heights his netminding has enabled the Red Wings to rise to. They are at the level of playoff contender. Lately, though, the wheels have come of Lyon’s game. Is he worn down from the workload, or simply battling a slump?

This debate is immaterial. The fact of the matter is that Lyon is fighting the puck. And when goalies fight the puck, the puck always wins.

Lalonde Isn’t Committing To Reimer

The difference in Detroit’s game was noticeable to even the casual observer. This was a Red Wings teammate committed to the forecheck, determined to take time and space away from the Sabres. Was it a case of a team that was simply fed up with losing? Or was the factor of playing in front of a goalie who gives them a touch more confidence at the moment also playing a role?

When teams aren’t trusting of their goalie, they get tentative. Pressuring the puck is surrendered in favor of a more passive approach. the fear is by attacking on the defensive, they will leave themselves open to odd-man rushes, or even breakaways, which they don’t trust their netminder to save.

However, by sitting back, they do the opposite of their objective. They’re allowing the opponent to generate speed through the neutral zone and gain easy access to the attacking zone, thus leading to more scoring chances.

While this can’t be 100% attributed to the goalie switch, Reimer’s early saves certainly bolstered a Red Wings team that ultimately would gain a lead for the first time in 280 minutes and 34 seconds of hockey.

Reimer is 4-1 through his past five starts. However, he’s not been in the net for back-to-back starts since Dec. 20-22.

Depsite his solid showing Saturday, Lalonde still wasn’t ready to commit to a Reimer start on Sunday.

Happy 36th Birthday to #SJSharks alumni goaltender James Reimer.

Dean Tait/Hockey Shots pic.twitter.com/95NooFh4HZ

— San Jose Sharks History (@sjsharkshistory) March 16, 2024

“Obviously the instinct will be to go back to him after a win,” Lalonde acknowledged. “But he is 35 and not many goalies in this league go back to back.

“So I’ll probably have a better feel after I consult with our goalie coach and kinda go from there.”

Actually, Reimer turned 36 on Friday, but that’s also immaterial. Considering what’s on the line, consultation shouldn’t be necessary.

The only correct answer is to start Reimer on Sunday.

The post Red Wings Have No Choice: They Must Ride Reimer appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

DETROIT — Christian Fischer went to his knees in the second period to help the Detroit Red Wings halt their seven-game losing streak.

And he wasn’t praying.

Fischer was stumbling to the ice, but managed to twist his body and fling the puck past Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The goal tied the game 1-1 and seemed to restore the Red Wings’ competitiveness and launched them to a 4-1 win that put them back in an Eastern Conference wild card position.

“Obviously a much-needed win and I just love the way we did it,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said.

The Red Wings now have 74 points, giving them a one point lead over the New York Islanders.  The Sabres are now five points behind Detroit. Lalonde’s team will be in Pittsburgh to play the Penguins Sunday in another key game in the playoff race.

Christian Fischer, while falling down

HUGE goal to tie things up in Detroit pic.twitter.com/KjaN9ThV1P

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 16, 2024

Reimer Steps Up

The Red Wings didn’t give up fewer than four goals in any of the seven losses, and James Reimer held the Sabres to one goal on 26 shots. The Sabres had just defeated the Red Wings 7-3 on Tuesday.

“Just in a broad sense, I think we really played a complete game, start to finish,” Fischer said. “Not too many lapses in the D-zone… We just felt a different compete level, kind of back to our old ways.”

In addition to scoring a crucial goal on a memorable effort, Fischer and linemates Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp shut down Buffalo’s top line of Zemgus Girgensons, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch in even-strength situations.

“The guys love Christian,” Lalonde said. “He plays the right way. Obviously they had the Thompson assignment tonight and their job was not to get scored on. And for them to get a goal the way they did with second effort, zone time, below the goal line battle, very uplifting

Patrick Kane’s 14th goal of the season, scored with 2:20 remaining in the second period, gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead. J.T. Compher set up the tally by poking the puck across the slot to Kane. It was like he was playing shuffleboard. It was the first lead the Detroit squad had known since March 6 when it lost to the Colorado Avalanche. That was a span of 280 minutes, 34 seconds over five games.

“I think once we got up 2-1, we knew we were going to win that game,” Fischer said. “just on how we felt and everybody working.”

No Style Points

Fischer laughed when asked whether his goal was executed just the way he drew it up.

“Yeah, I meant to do that for sure,” he said, playing along before confessing . “Just bad skater, I don’t think he even tripped me. It was obviously a big goal for our team at the time and with me. Copp and Ras, that’s our type of goal, to the net, cycles, that type of stuff.”

This felt like a big game because of the playoff implications. Tomorrow’s game against the Penguins will be just as important.

The Red Wings played Saturday like they had their confidence back.

“You see every guy having that second and third effort, whether it’s a turnover, a good play or a bad play. You saw every single guy competing like our lives are on the line,” Fischer said. “That goes a long way when you see Kaner and (Alex DeBrincat out there throwing some hits around. Second and third sticks in the D-zone. Second efforts to get pucks out. Diving saves, big saves on the PK, block shots. I could down the list of the little things that mean so much to the group. You feed off each other. We felt it in that room, in between the second and third, not too much needed to be said. We just needed to keep doing what we were doing. That type of feeling is what we had in January and February when we were rolling.”

The post Fischer Performance Helps Red Wings Rediscover Their Confidence appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Last month, when the Detroit Red Wings were coming off a setback at Carolina, goaltender Alex Lyon was stressing that good teams don’t allow losses to accumulate in succession.

“You can’t let those little snowballs start rolling down the hill,” Lyon said.

They say that things come in threes and that’s certainly not an axiom in which the Red Wings are going to want to be investing. Things are in danger of snowballing for them. Heading to Calgary for a Saturday afternoon (4 p.m. ET) date with the Flames, Detroit is off to an 0-2 start on the club’s four-game road trip.

Afternoon matchup in Calgary. #LGRW

: 4:00 P.M.
: @BallySportsDET
: @971theticketxyt pic.twitter.com/yGO9LYjgMr

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

It’s been 21 games since the Red Wings lost three in a row. In fact, they endured a four-game skid from Dec. 7-11. The team has only lost three in a row in regulation twice all season. That, as much as any reason, is why they find themselves currently residing in a playoff position.

However, if they want to maintain possession of that real estate, they need to start winning again and soon.

Like today, for instance.

“One thing I like about this group, we usually take it pretty personally and we like to respond,” forward Christian Fischer was telling Bally Sports Detroit following Thursday’s 4-1 loss at Vancouver. “We’ve done that over the whole course.”

That setback came on the heels of an 8-4 pounding at Edmonton which opened this four-game away sojourn.

Red Wings Must Get Back To Identity

During a 9-2-2 run in January, the Red Wings were playing a solid, defensively responsible brand of hockey. This is the first time since Dec. 29-31 that Detroit has surrendered 4+ goals in successive games.

Getting back to who they were is the recipe the Red Wings need to succeed.

Practice day in Calgary.
Game day in Calgary. pic.twitter.com/9waqJuuQC8

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

“I think most of our wins need to come from the identity that we showed all January,” forward David Perron said. “We gotta get back at it.”

Clinging to the second Wild Card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, Detroit is two points ahead of New Jersey and three in front of the New York Islanders. All three clubs are sitting on 53 games played.

Defenseman Jake Walman believes the team can draw strength at times like this from the club’s veteran leadership.

“The belief comes from our room for sure and comes up top,” Walman said. “We got a great group of leaders and guys that have done it before.

“If you don’t know anything, you just gotta listen to those guys. Like DP, Larks, guys that have been there before in those games. Learn from them. I think they bring confidence to the group.”

Recent Success Against Calgary

Detroit has won three in a row over the Flames, including a 5-2 verdict last season at Calgary.

“These next two games are huge on this trip to see if we can come out .500,” Fischer said. “We know exactly where we’re at in this fight. We’re gonna need every point.”

Certainly, there’s no cause for panic.

“There’s a lot of hockey to be played,” captain Dylan Larkin said.

At the same time, nipping this slide in the bud must be a priority. And getting back to who they are as a team is how the Red Wings will get that done.

“We feel in this room that there’s no secret to the position we’re in and it’s our team identity,” Larkin said. “It’s playing with intensity, sticking together and doing it by committee with our depth, three goalies, all of our defensemen playing.

“We feel we’re exactly where we belong.”

If they want to stay there, the Red Wings must get back to their winning ways. And soon.

The post Red Wings Seeking to Avoid Threepeat of Losses 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.

The post Zadorov Mocks Walman’s ‘Griddy’ in Vancouver Win appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

One of the reasons why the Detroit Red Wings are contending for a playoff spot is that plenty of players are coming up big for the team.

“We find different ways to win,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “We find different ways to score goals at big times.

“Everyone chips in.”

In the case of Detroit’s third line of Andrew Copp, Michael Rasmussen and Christian Fischer, coming up big just comes naturally to them.

It’s who they are. It’s how they play.

“They’re north, they forecheck,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “They’re a little bit heavier.

“We don’t have some of that throughout our lineup.”

There aren’t a lot of forwards populating the Detroit roster who earn their pay by wearing on the opposition. That’s what Copp, Rasmussen and Fischer are all about. They play the game in an old-fashioned style. Their objective is to grind out shift and in the process, grind down the will of the opposition.

“All three of them are committed to playing the right way,” Lalonde said. “They have a goal. It’s about them defending first.”

Third Line Sets Tone For Red Wings

That they don’t have a lot of what Copp, Rasmussen and Fischer bring up and down their lineup sometimes leads Lalonde to consider breaking up a line to add more of a heavier element to each of his forward units. But the chemistry those three are cooking up together leaves him relucant to mess with a winning formula.

“We have that feel sometimes that, this line could use Ras, or this line could use Fish,” Lalonde explained. “You might see that, but that line has been so productive and predictable, it’s just been hard to break up.

“It’s working. Let’s not try to fix it.”

Certainly, the way that trio plays the game is not only impacting the psyche of the opposition. It’s also uplifting to their Red Wings teammates.

“They’re clearly workhorses,” Detroit defenseman Jake Walman said. “All those guys love to compete and battle.  They get to the net.”

Nowhere was that made more abundantly evident than on Saturday’s third-period game-tying goal by Rasmussen against Vancouver. Rasmussen simply drove to the net, creating havoc in the Canucks goal crease. Walman’s point shot wound up defledcting off Rasmussen and into the net.

“That’s how we’re gonna generate a lot of our goals as a team, just being scrappy,” Walman said. “It’s fun to see when they’ve got that aggression.

“It really sets the tone for the group for sure.”

The post Red Wings Third Line First at Grinding Down Opponents appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.