CSSI Analysis: Red Wings 4 - Blue Jackets 3 (SO)

The Wings needed to score a goal and show they could play better than the jokesquad which showed up against St. Louis on Saturday. They played a pretty good game overall, but did surrender a two-goal lead and ended up in a shootout when they shouldn't have. I'll take it.

We got to see the new faceoff penalty called in this one. I don't know how the reffing standard is going to work out all season, but it's tight. Wings will need to play more-controlled.

CSSI Methodology Explanation here

Goalie Ratings

Jimmy Howard gave up another breakaway goal and two power play goals. I thought he made a handful of good saves, which helps make up for the 2nd Columbus goal, which I feel he could have had (although he was ranging to his left during the shot, making the stop harder to make). I'd give him an even rating overall for a generally average-but-nice performance. Head-to-head, he got outplayed by Bobrovsky, who saw and had to stop a lot more shots and only lost because an absolutely filthy Damien Brunner shootout goal.Howard will get a -1 head-to-head rating.

Scoring and plus/minus analysis after the jump

The Goals

2nd Period 01:10 -Detroit Goal: Brian Lashoff (slap shot) from Mikael Samuelsson and Niklas Kronwall
About 40 seconds of pressure leads to a Brian Lashoff slapper that gets through a screen and into the net to open the scoring. Franzen is the screener here and will get an assist. Filppula picks up a bad clearing attempt from a tired defender and starts the passing which leads to the goal, so Flip will get the third assist. Additionally, most of the shift here is created by Zetterberg, Brunner, and Datsyuk putting on sustained pressure until the line change is completed. Z, Brunner, and Pavs will each get a plus, as well a a half-plus for Colaiacovo for a good keep-in during that play.

2nd Period 14:06 - Detroit Goal: Ian White (snap shot) from Johan Franzen and Pavel Datsyuk
The Wings get some great pressure on a 4-on-4 as Franzen draws defenders to him and then finds White sneaking in from the point for a snapper from the right dot before Bobrovsky can get over to defend it. Colaiacovo will get a third assist for a clever play getting a loose puck away from pressure to Datsyuk, who starts the Wings into the zone. Ian White gets a self-assist for letting the play develop before throwing the puck on net smartly so Franzen can get to it. Datsyuk will earn back the plus he would have gotten if he hadn't changed. Zetterberg will keep his plus and get a non-touch assist. He positions himself in such a way as to prevent Tyutin from getting to Franzen as he's coming around behind the net to feed it back out to White for the goal.

2nd Period 15:20 - Columbus Goal: Cam Atkinson (wrist shot) from Ryan Johansen and Derek Dorsett
Johansen and Atkinson turn a two-on-two rush into a breakaway and Atkinson finishes past Howard. Brunner and Zetterberg won't get minuses as the transition goal happens behind them. Cleary will keep a half-minus for a centering attempt blocked and turned the other way (good decision, poor execution). Quincey will get an extra half-minus on the coverage and Smith a full extra minus. The Blue Jackets forwards make to cross over, which leads to a split-second of uncertainty where Quincey doesn't stop the pass and Smith lets a guy behind him. That can't happen.

3rd Period 03:24 - Columbus Goal (PP): James Wisniewski (slap shot) from Derick Brassard and RJ Umberger
The Wings' PK does a good job of keeping the puck to the outside, but Wisniewski finds a shooting lane for a one-timer from the top of the umbrella past Howard. Not much to adjust. Lashoff will get a half-minus for a turnover as he gets a chance to clear about 20 seconds prior to the goal and doesn't get it out. Eaves will get a half-minus on the coverage for just ranging a liiiiiiiitle too far to his right and giving Wisniewski the shooting lane.

3rd Period 08:43 - Columbus Goal (PP): Vinny Prospal (wrist shot) from Nikita Nikitin and Fedor Tyutin
The Jackets move the puck very well and get some good bounces. A Nikitin shot bounces off the glass behind the net and comes right out front between the layers of coverage where Prospal gets it. No adjustment on this play. Kronwall and Lashoff are covering guys low on the rebound and Zetterberg is coming back after going out to challenge Nikitin on the shot. Sometimes shit just happens.

3rd Period 13:56 - Detroit Goal: Pavel Datsyuk (wrist shot) from Niklas Kronwall and Henrik Zetterberg
Zetterberg drags the puck into the zone on the PP and takes every defender with him. Kronwall steps into the slot wide open and then finds Datsyuk on the back door as everybody panics to turn. This one officially doesn't count as a PPG, as time had just expired, but Johansen has not rejoined the play, so Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Cleary, Kronwall, and Smith will lose their pluses. Zetterberg will get his plus back for a great play to draw the defense in. Smith will get a half-assist on the pass that got Z into the zone while Datsyuk will get a half self-assist for a clean faceoff win that led to the pass from Smith. Cleary will get a half-assist (non-touch) for forcing Nikitin to play him instead of Datsyuk on the goal

Penalty Adjustments (pluses and minuses only)

1st Period 05:57 - Fedor Tyutin (hooking): Good forechecking pressure creates a scoring chance where Tyutin has to hook Brunner to prevent a shot. Zetterberg, Brunner, and Colaiacovo will each get a half-plus for how this play developed.
1st Period 16:41 - Damien Brunner (tripping): Brunner hasn't figured out smaller-ice zone entries yet. He loses his second one on the same shift and trips Tyutin afterwards. Brunner gets a minus.

2nd Period 06:46 - Matt Calvert (holding the stick): A long pressure shift creates this one, as the Wings' fourth line keeps the Jackets hemmed in while a change happens. Emmerton, Tootoo, and Eaves will each get half-pluses for sustained pressure while Ian White will get a full plus for a great shift which causes Calvert to take a penalty.
2nd Period 10:55 - Kyle Quincey (holding): Such a dumb penalty to take as Quincey grabs Johansen. Minus for Quincey
2nd Period 13:07 - Daniel Cleary (delay of game): Cleary falls victim to the new no-hand-pass-on-faceoffs rule. No excuses for how I personally feel about the rule. You can't do that and Cleary did it. Minus for Cleary.

3rd Period 02:39 - Brendan Smith (cross-checking): Nail a guy in the back, get a minus, Smith.
3rd Period 03:38 - Henrik Zetterberg (slashing: Z gets mad at Dubinsky and slashes his stick. Dumb penalty to take. Minus for Zetterberg
3rd Period 06:47 - Kyle Quincey (interference): Man, this is a super-close call. Quincey looks like he's already moving that way when he "interferes" with RJ Umberger. Reaching the hand out to make sure he makes contact is what earns Quincey the minus.
3rd Period 11:08 - Daniel Cleary (boarding): Another close call, but Cleary hits him square between the numbers. Minus for Cleary.

Bonus Ratings

+1 to Valtteri Filppula: I thought Flip was the Wings' smartest forward in this game. His positioning was excellent and he ran transition very well.
+0.5 to Brian Lashoff: Lashoff mostly got semi-sheltered minutes, be he played them with poise and very soundly. Great game.
+1 to Damien Brunner: Brunner drove possession vey well for the Wings. It didn't turn into a regulation goal from him, but it very well should have.
+0.5 to Patrick Eaves: In his first game back, Eaves made his presence known exceptionally well in his 11:40. Great to see him back.

Honorable Mentions:

Kronwall almost got a minus for a PK turnover right to the slot, but overcame it with solid play elsewhere. Franzen was on his way to a minus, but played a better second half of the game. Miller and Tootoo were pretty good in their roles. I typically don't like the fight to start the game, but whatever. It worked.

Season Totals Chart

Points Adjustments

Plus/Minus Adjustments

Goalie Adjustments