These intros are less fun to write when the Wings lose like this. There’s your intro. The Red Wings played an intro-killing game.
There were only six powerplays in the entire game and that was pretty ok. I liked the standard because it wasn’t dumb and it didn’t matter. Technically the 1/4 performance on the PP and 100% PK efficiency means the Wings won the special teams battle. Yay!
CSSI Methodology Explanation here
Goalie Ratings
Goalie-wise, Howard was tested significantly more than Fasth in this game. Performance-wise, he gave up two more goals. Howard didn’t lose the team the game, but he didn’t win it for them either. I don’t think the team did enough to give him a chance to win it for them though. Overall, I’m going to give him an even rating. Head-to-head, I’m going to call this one a draw. I don’t think who was in net factored into which team won the game. The Ducks deserved it more.
The Goals
2nd Period 03:01 – Detroit Goal: Joakim Andersson (wrist shot) from Jakub Kindl and Tomas Tatar
Great in-zone movement creates space for Kindl to find Andersson with the goalie moving the wrong way. Eaves will get a non-touch assist for the net-front work and Quincey will get half a third assist. Tatar makes most of this play happen in the zone and will get a bonus plus.
2nd Period 03:27 – Anaheim Goal: Matt Beleskey (wrist shot) from Ryan Getzlaf
Right off a faceoff, Getzlaf finds Beleskey in the low slot for a shot over the blocker. Brunner and Cleary will have minuses cleared. Zetterberg and Kronwall will each get an extra minus for their failure to cover the pass to and shot from Beleskey.
2nd Period 06:32 – Detroit Goal (PP): Tomas Tatar (wrist shot) from Damien Brunner and Joakim Andersson
The Wings get lots of traffic in front and Tatar puts a loose puck home. Tatar will get a self-assist, Nyquist will get the third assist. Andersson will get a bonus plus for his work digging and grinding on this play to make room.
2nd Period 07:37 – Anaheim Goal: Corey Perry (bullshit luck) from Matt Beleskey
Ian White breaks his stick trying a slap-clear to start transition from behind his net with both his up-boards options covered. Perry tries to get Howard to bite with patient stick-handling, but Howard outwaits him and makes a great first-effort kick-save. Unfortunately, White doesn’t have a working stick and Perry gets the puck through on the second attempt. I’m going to clear the forwards here, Cleary, Brunner and Zetterberg, as well as Ericsson’s. White will keep a half-minus. This is absolutely horrid luck for him, but if he doesn’t dive to try to block a pass that’s already by him when he does it, he has a chance to at least tackle Corey Perry and take a good penalty in the process.
3rd Period 01:02 – Anaheim Goal: Andrew Cogliano (tip-in) from Saku Koivu
The Ducks turn a neutral zone turnover back quickly as Cogliano drives the net and tips a pass in for the game-winner. Abdelkader and Nyquist will have their minuses cleared. Kronwall will get two extra minuses for turnover and coverage. He should try to pass to people’s sticks, not their skates. Filppula will get an extra minus for not being able to cleanly handle a bad pass like I expect a top-six forward to do. Kindl will get an extra minus-and-a-half for coverage because I have no idea why he’s that close to Filppula when the turnover happens and no idea why he isn’t marking Cogliano better on the turnaround.
3rd Period 01:50 – Anaheim Goal: Bobby Ryan (wrist shot) from Teemu Selanne and Ian White
Less than a minute later, we’re back. Ian White gets fancy and hits Bobby Ryan in the dick with a pass that turns the Ducks the other way. Selanne sets up Ryan for a one-timer and then he gets his own rebound to put it through Howard. I’m going to clear every minus on this play (Miller, Tootoo, Emmerton, Ericsson) except for Ian White’s. Additionally, I’m going to give White two extra minuses. One for the turnover to Ryan to start this play and another for not being in position when Ryan puts the rebound home. Ericsson is completely helpless as the turnover brings two guys in on him with speed. If he tries to get into the passing lane, he’s giving Selanne a breakaway. If he tries to get into Ryan’s shooting lane, he’s giving Selanne a breakaway. If he tries to attack Selanne, he’s either giving Ryan a breakaway or he’s getting danced around by a forward with enough speed and hands to completely embarrass a guy dumb enough to even try that.
3rd Period 18:11 – Anaheim Goal (EN): Andrew Cogliano (wrist shot) from Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf
Empty net sad time :'( No adjustments. This is everybody’s fault.
Penalty Adjustments (pluses and minuses only)
1st Period 06:36 – Sheldon Souray (interference): Tootoo kind of forces this by pumping his feet hard on a dump-in. Half-plus for Tootoo.
1st Period 15:17 – Andrew Cogliano (tripping): Forward pressure forces Cogliano to get his stick in a bad position and trip up Emmerton. Emmerton will get a plus and Tootoo a half-plus.
1st Period 16:16 – Damien Brunner (holding): Brunner puts a free hand on Getzlaf while on the PP and goes to the box. This is an easy call and a dumb penalty. Minus for Brunner.
3rd Period 05:46 – Jordin Tootoo (slashing): Toots tries to get a guy to fight with no luck. He instead decides to end his shift by slashing Luca Sbisa and going to the box. Minus for Tootoo.
3rd Period 13:24 – Kyle Quincey (interference): Quincey steps into Corey Perry’s path on the way to the front of the Detroit net and Perry makes sure the ref sees it. I don’t care. Quincey makes an obvious move and this is stupid. Minus for Quincey.
Bonus Ratings
+1 to Henrik Zetterberg; Don’t let the official stat line fool you. Zetterberg was doing work in this game and got shitty results to show for it.
+1 Cory Emmerton: Kind of because I think he was really good, but also to help balance things out with his linemates. Emmerton was good in this one.
-1 to Dan Cleary: I want things to go well for him, but they’re not. He makes way too many mistakes.
Honorable Mentions:
Niklas Kronwall was an adjusted -6 and I’m ok with that.
