Detroit’s not doing too great lately. I haven’t recapped a win in a while. So, I’m going to break from my normal tradition and make the gif theme something other than movies and tv I like. Who knows?

First Period

Witkowski was thought to be a scratch, but he is in on D, rotating in. Because when you have a player like Luke Witkowski available, you have to get him in the lineup.

Hey, guess what? Detroit gave up a bad first goal to a player nobody has ever heard of.

Andreas Borgman has your first goal of the night. He shot from the point. It hit traffic in front, then hit Howard, then went into the net.

I agree. It looks like it his Witkowski. So I guess we have so far:

Team playing a little bigger and tougher = 0 goals

Witkowski can’t really play hockey = -1 goals.

Howard makes a big save on Hyman to keep the score at 1-0. Just after Mantha nearly had a great chance, but the linesman blew an offside call.

Detroit goes to the box for the first penalty of the game. Daley can-openers Nazem Kadri and it’s so obvious there is no use complaining.

Helm and Larkin broke out 2 on 1 shorthanded, but Helm couldn’t make a clean pass to Larkin. It was the right idea, but they just couldn’t make it work.

Detroit kills the penalty. Howard makes another good save shortly after.

Detroit goes back to the power play. My NHL.tv feed froze for the first 30 seconds of the power play, but Detroit had some great chances for the next 60 seconds. Then, Toronto cleared the puck and Detroit, despite a good effort couldn’t get anything going for the rest of it.

Athanasiou nearly created something out of nothing. He lost the puck, then recovered the puck, passed it to himself and fed it to Tatar in front. The Detroit forward did his best, but he couldn’t get it past the Toronto goalie.

With 2 minutes left, shots are 11-6 Toronto, which is...not great.

Darren Helm circled the net with 20 seconds left, but couldn’t get a good scoring chance.

The period ends 1-0 Toronto

Second Period

I’m pretty sure that Mickey Redmond just said that Luke Witkowski should be on Duck Dynasty. I agree, as long as they tape during the Red Wings season.

Danny Dekeyser....scores?

Dekeyser jumps into the play and takes a loose puck and wrists a perfect shot into the upper right corner to tie the game.

That’s his first of the game and the season.

Detroit gets another power play and doesn’t score.

Ken Daniels is saying that Ken Holland wants the next 10 games to tell if they are going to make the final playoff spot, which is 10 games more than I need. No.

Detroit stops a Toronto chance right in front of Howard, but it’s by taking a penalty. So, the Maple Leafs go to a power play.

DALEY SCORES!

Shorthanded! a 2 on 1 with Dylan Larkin. He looked off Larkin and ripped it nearside. 2-1 Detroit

After the goal, both teams raced end to end for chance after chance, but the score still stays 2-1.

Here’s a really weird thing. Detroit seems to have a huge boost to their energy after the Daley shorthanded goal. And Witkowski had nothing to do with it. It’s almost like scoring can boost a team’s energy. Weird.

Abdelkader rips a shot from the left of the goal, but it stays 2-1.

Toronto had some great chances in the last minute, the best of which was from Brown. Howard fell back onto the puck to keep the puck out.

Reilly threw a puck at the net with time about to expire, but it goes wide.

2-1 Red Wings at the end of the 2nd.

Third Period

But I’m still watching.

Abdelkader lays a big hit on Morgan Reilly. Roman Polak takes exception, but nothing more comes of it.

Athanasiou Scores! MAYBE

Dammit!

Nope. He hit two posts, but it sure seemed like a goal off the initial shot.

Kapanen throws a shot on goal from the left side, but Howard keeps it out.

Helm and Athanasiou had a great chance, but Helm shot it wide. I know, just trust me on this.

Tyler Bozak goes to the box for interference.

Detroit starts their “second PP unit”, otherwise known as the “better PP unit”

Larkin made a bad pass at the blue line, which was broken up by Brown. Luckily, Howard stopped him.

After the players changed: Tatar scores!!!

Zetterberg with a slap pass to the slot. Tatar tips it in. 3-1!

Athanasiou has a near breakaway with 6 minutes left, but he can’t put it in.

Dekeyser goes off for holding, and Toronto has a chance to cut the lead to 1.

Helm and Larkin break 2 on 1, but Larkin goes too far wide and takes himself out as a pass option. Helm misses the shot because duh.

Toronto sends the goalie to the bench at 2:45 remaining in the third, and I’m having flashbacks.

Howard holds onto the puck with 2:19 left.

Helm ices the puck after Daley makes a herculean play to keep the puck in the corner.

Darren Helm nearly scores in the empty net, but a penalty forces Toronto to put the goalie back in.

Nothing changes, and Detroit....WINS? I’m not used to typing that. But it’s true. They win 3-1.

I’m going to say it’s from adding pics of my dog in. So if you don’t like dogs, get used to it until we lose again when I’m recapping. ;) LGRW!