The Wings lost a dumb game to Columbus on Monday night and there were 12 goals to choose from, but only this one allows me to make that terrible headline pun, so it’s the one you’re getting.

Also, it’s pretty indicative of how the Wings lost this game, featuring questionable decision-making with the puck and a player wasting what little space the Red Wings could find on the ice during this match.

The Setup

Columbus enters the Wings’ zone harmlessly as Lukas Sedlak brings it in along the boards and makes sure to get it deep so his team can change. Kronwall separates Sedlak from the puck, leaving Michael Rasmussen free to go pick it up with no pressure.

Rasmussen takes the puck behind his own net and skates directly into a forechecking trap instead of springing it and using one of his three safe outlet options in Cholowski, Kronwall, and De La Rose (or even a very-slightly-riskier fourth option of trying to dump it up the boards to Frk), he tries to outmuscle the trap and is knocked off the puck by Lukas Sedlak.

The Finish

Riley Nash picks up the loose puck and heads behind the Wings’ net chased by Cholowski. Nash has the puck knocked off his stick by a good sweep check from the young Wings’ D-man, but Columbus maintains possession as Markus Hannikainen beats Jacob De La Rose cleanly enough to give him space to spin away, take the puck back up the boards, and feed it to Ryan Murray at the point. Murray goes across to Nutivaara for a one-timer that goes off Bernier’s pad and then into the net off the butt of Riley Nash who had established net-front position.

The Blame Game

Jonathan Bernier - He’s moving across to deal with a one-timer, so rebound control is more-difficult and he’s not responsible for keeping Riley Nash out of his crease. Still, he probably should have been farther out on the angle or he should have intentionally tied himself up with Nash trying to draw a call. Not a big deal either way for the blame game

Dennis Cholowski - He chases Nash down and knocks the puck away after the Rasmussen turnover and then he’s covering the slot appropriately when the goal is scored. He’s off the hook for me here.

Martin Frk - He’s on the ice here as an outlet up in the neutral zone and gets back to cover the point when the puck goes to Murray. His only involvement in the play is to be in Murray’s shooting lane, which he is.

Niklas Kronwall - He’s playing as a safe outlet before the Wings lose possession and then goes to net-front coverage immediately after. Kronwall’s big goof here is letting Riley Nash box him out at the net-front. Kronwally can’t give up this position and there’s really not a good reason for him to have done so.

Jacob De La Rose - He’s not in position to stop Nash from getting the puck off Rasmussen’s turnover and then not in position to stop Hannikainen once Cholowski dispossess the Jackets forward behind Bernier’s net. Caught chasing the entire play, it’s not a good look for JDLR

Michael Rasmussen - He’s under basically no pressure and with several safe outlets when he has the puck and skates right into a forechecking trap, easily losing the puck. Then, he finds himself responsible for covering Nutivaara at the point and finds himself too far to the inside to block the point shot. Rookie mistakes abound for the kid here.