tl;dr – this was a heartbreaker. Worse than the ass-kickings. Wings played like a real team but it wasn’t enough.
Walman is OUT. Holl is IN. Is Walman in the dog yard (Holmstrom throwback for the elders who remember that quote)? Post by Helene says it was a “coach’s decision”. So…dog yard.
First Period
Wings off to a better start having not given up a goal in the first 4 minutes, and have barely been out of the Vegas zone. Wings had two great chances and look like a different team than the one that pooped all over the ice in Arizona. Putting Berggren with Veleno and Raymond is already looking like a good idea.
Reimer looking like Julius Caesar trying to fend off a Marchessault. But unlike Caesar, he lived to tell the tale. First real scoring chance for Vegas 6 minutes in. Overall, the Wings have been one step ahead. They still aren’t connecting on their passes the way we got used to seeing.
And there it is. Reimer lets one through the five-hole at the 9-minute mark. Skaters were doing their jobs. 1-0 Vegas. Reimer redeems himself with a flurry of saves, but Seider ends up in the Bad Boy Box. Red Wings penalty kill less than a minute after the goal. As the penalty expires, Reimer makes the save but slides himself into the net. Vegas says it’s in, the refs said it’s not, and the Wings say it’s not. I also say it’s not. Any angle you can’t see the puck so it’s not overturned. Still 1-0 and the penalty is killed.
We will not get out of the period only down 1-0. Seider does his best to defend a 2-on-1 but nothing he could do. And Reimer didn’t have any luck on his side. 2-0 Vegas. Berggren giveaway combined with Chiarot pinching like he’s Jonathan Ericsson. Could see the goal coming from center ice. Marchessault and Eichel are a deadly combination.
FINALLY. THE DROUGHT IS OVER. RED WINGS SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE! 27 seconds left. Slick pass from Perron back to Seider who shoots and tipped by Ras into the net. 2-1 Vegas and that’s how we’ll end the period.
Second Period
4 minutes in and shots are 21-8 Vegas. It doesn’t feel that lopsided. What matters is the Wings are only down by 1 goal. Eichel draws the holding penalty so Perron is in the Jerk Jail and Vegas on their second powerplay. Powerplay has 4 seconds left when there is a disagreement at the boards. It ends up that Compher joins Perron in the Goon Garden and Marchessault gets the double penalty so the Wings will get most of a powerplay with one of the best Vegas players in the Loser Locker. Nothing much happened other than confirmation that DeBrincat is cursed. All penalties killed.
Now the Wings are looking like they are on a powerplay. Halfway through the second and the Wings are all over the Knights but can’t get much for quality shots. Knights doing a good job of getting in the way and cutting off or blocking shots. Something the Wings are not doing. At all.
And that’s it for the second. 2-1 Vegas and shots are 31-13 Vegas. Which is not great, but it sounds more lopsided than it was as far as possession goes.
Third Period
Wings get another chance at the powerplay as Berggren draws a hooking penalty. Dorofeyev in the Crimes Cabana one minute into the period. Wings powerplay is looking better and the passing is crisper. And it works! RED WINGS TIE THE GAME! Another shot by Seider tipped into the net, this time by Compher.
Vegas has not had a shot in the first five minutes.
Shoutout to Maatta for stopping a breakaway without taking a penalty.
Vegas gets their first shot of the period at 9:53. Unfortunately, it goes in the net. Frustrating. 3-2 Vegas.
Wings get it back a moments later. Two Knights collide and the Wings are off to the races. Gostisbehere runs into the ricochet, knocks it to his stick, and backhander into the net. Tie game again! 3-3. Gostisbehere joins the 10+ goal club.
A few seconds later, Beggren draws his second hooking penalty of the night to put the Wings back on the powerplay. McNabb in the No-No Nook. Penalty killed.
Hill makes a great save by Raymond and the two follow-up chances also do not go in. That hurt to see. We have no puck luck when we need it most.
4 minutes to go. Tied 3-3. Shots 32-21 Vegas.
Ras blocks a shot in the hand and that takes him out of the play. Naturally, this means Vegas scores. Ras heads down the tunnel and he is sour. 4-3 Vegas. Once again, Eichel and Marchessault are the problem.
2 minutes to go. Reimer to the bench. Hill is shaky.
Empty net goal. Marchessault again for the hat trick. What an asshole. 5-3 Vegas.
1 minute left. Reimer to the bench again.
Game over.
