It’s 2024 somehow which means the endless hell of December is over. The Wings look forward to a January with a less breakneck schedule, but a very tough slate of opponents. It all starts with a west coast road trip kicking off at the Shark Tank. I know anyone can beat anybody on any given night in this League, but you best not be losing to this Sharks team twice. Tis payback time. LGRW!
1st Period
Right out of the gate Larkin and Raymond combine to set up Perron with a prime time opportunity, but Kahkonen makes the save. Cat-Kane-Compher aren’t able to get much going on the next shift. Gostisbehere did well to break up a 2-on-1. Not even 2 minutes in and already three Red Wings have chased a single puck carrier behind their own net. Veleno, Copp, Sprong, and Fischer all struggle on their first shifts. Lyon makes a good save on Zadina, and then another on Hoffman on the next shift.
Larkin’s line comes out and immediately starts tilting the ice back in the right direction, and Larks is tripped/held for his troubles. Time for a RRRRRRED WINGS POWER PLAY!
Seider looks for a drop pass but no one is behind him. He casually carries the puck into the zone instead and nearly scores a pretty wraparound goal. That scoring chance he created on his own looked so … natural. If he does another drop pass on the power play this season I might just lose my mind entirely. Both Seider and Compher are going to be credited with two close-range shots on goal, but this power play looks pretty listless so far.
Sprong gets himself a lot of time and space for no good reason in particular, takes a shot that Kahkonen struggles with but squeezes it nonetheless. Kahkonen looks shaky. Off the faceoff, Sprong parks in the high slot, receives an all-star pass from Lucas Raymond, and makes no mistake on the one-timer! Goal 10 on the season for Daniel.
Detroit 1 – San Jose 0
San Jose pressures for a couple moments on the ensuing shift, but Larkin, Ghost, Seider, Kane, and Debrincat flip things around. Kane and Ghost in particular made some really nice passes. A few shifts later, Rasmussen and Veleno have another rough-ish shift in their own end. A good stick from Walman ended any real threat before it could form. 9 minutes to go in the first.
Out of the commercial, a weird play by the Sharks in their own zone seems to go off the netting but play resumes and San Jose is able to get 3 extremely dangerous looks that Lyon answers with 3 stone cold saves. Ken and Ozzie duly sing his praises. A couple shifts later, Raymond followed up some insane stickhandling with a really awkward fall and crash into the boards but seems to be okay.
It’s a late game and we’re getting an extra commercial break? Before the commercial, Ken pointed out that there is probably an entire generation that doesn’t know what a phone booth is and now I’m feeling extra old and tired.
Hertl continues to outplay any Red Wing on the ice against him. Lyon makes another nice save. Seider just recovers on what was nearly a catastrophic mistake in his own end otherwise Lyon would have had to make another hero save this period. Zadina misses another clean opportunity. Then he shoots the puck right into Lyon’s breadbasket. Never change, Filip. Red Wings are very much on their heels right now. As I type that, Ken points out the Wings haven’t had a shot on goal in what is now 8 minutes. Lyon makes 2 more saves, but the second squeaks through his arm. Copp, Veleno, Gostisbehere, and Chiarot all seemed determined to do as little as possible to help their goaltender. There was a quick, meaningless video review but holy hell that effort was abysmal.
Detroit 1 – San Jose 1
Three minutes remain. The Wings turn the puck over a half dozen times in 90 seconds, but still seem to have the general control. Which of course results in a clean breakaway after Maatta allows himself to be romantically undressed at his own blue line and LYON extends his toe through the bottom of his shoe into the blade of his skate for a spectacular save. How many pillows does Alex Lyon use when doing his yoga? 5 seconds remain and Fabbri lays out and blocks a slapshot with his Fabbri. After staying on the ice until well after the horn sounds, he Fabbries off the ice under his own power.
End 1 Detroit 1 – San Jose 1
The Sharks really did low-key dominate that period. They out-possessed the Wings by 50%. They out-chanced the Wings by 100%. Alex Lyon is the only real reason the Red Wings don’t start the middle period chasing a two or three goal deficit.
2nd Period
Larkin’s line starts the second with some big threats, but no fireworks. Walman with some good stand-up D at the blueline, supported nicely by a good backcheck from Veleno. The Sharks are confidently pressing Seider and Walman behind their net with two forwards at the goal line. Chiarot and Ghost allow yet another Shark to access the most dangerous part of the ice without question. Fabbri is back on the ice.
After a Lyon freeze and waaaaay after the whistle, Addison throws a brutal cross check to Raymond. Raymond gets an unsportsmanlike. Addison gets a cross check. Seider prevents things from escalating by holding literally everyone in a headlock simultaneously.
Larkin, Debrincat, Seider, and Walman to start the 4-on-4. Both teams exchange the same ineffectual nothingness to the outside. Hertl then comes on to the ice, dangles dangerously for what seems like 20 seconds, but nothing comes of it. 6 seconds remain on the 4-on-4, Holl gains the zone, drops to Compher at the blue line. J.T. harmlessly floats a 35-footer through Kahkonen’s midsection for a DRW 4X4 goal!!
Detroit 2 – San Jose 1
A shift later, Larkin misses the net again. He seems to be trying a little harder than need be to snip a corner right now. We’re going to commercial without explanation of an upcoming penalty, but the 78 Sharks fans in the Shark Tank started booing, so?
Yep! RRRRED WINGS POWER PLAY! Emberson for roughing. Fabbri starts off the first shift with two really – I mean really – awful passes. A minute and a quarter and the Wings have done nothing but turn the puck over in the o-zone. The second ‘unit’ got set up, but Gostisbehere had another bobble like the 10 or so he had against Boston and that’s the penalty. Shortly after, Maatta and Perron both made a couple nice plays that resulted in a quick pass from behind Kahkonen’s net to the doorstep, but a wide open Copp couldn’t convert.
The next shift required a few more saves from the Sharks’ netminder. We’re at the midway point in this game and the Red Wings are doing a much better job this period at dictating play. A couple of shifts out of the commercial break Raymond creates a rush with Larkin. 2 Sharks took away the pass to Larkin, but Raymond elected to try and make the pass anyway. He nearly did, but the puck just bounced away from Larks. Another rush opportunity on the next shift sees Sprong nearly miss on a sweet feed from Fabbri. The Wings are swarming, but not yet converting.
The next several minutes pass with relatively little of note. Kahkonen looks like he’s settling in a little bit on a couple of saves that he struggled with earlier in the game. The 17th minute of the middle frame was all Sharks, but chances were kept to the outside or at the point without traffic, and Lyon continues to look rock solid.
The Wings continue to play a very passive game over the next couple of minutes. Gostisbehere has another horribly lazy defensive zone shift that allows another Shark to the most dangerous ice without contest. This time, that Shark is Bailey and he’s able to easily tip a floater from the point past Lyon.
Detroit 2 – San Jose 2
Larkin’s line tries to even things up in the final minute, but that’ll do it. Another period dominated by the Red Wings. Another late goal allowed by the Red Wings in such a period to negate all their hard work. And that’s to say nothing about the multitude of Grade A chances that they were unable to convert.
End 2 Detroit 2 – San Jose 2
3rd Period
The Wings start the final frame largely on their heels. Lyon makes a good save. Holl makes a good trip. Two minutes in and it’s kill time. The first unit does a pretty good job. Chiarot gets an especially huge shot block. Lyon makes a nice save on Duclair. The second Sharks unit includes Zadina who sees a high danger chance negated by a diving Larkin stick. Penalty is killed.
The Sharks continue with a very aggressive two-forwards forecheck that forces a turnover from a sole Maatta, but nothing materializes for them. Larkin’s line loses the ensuing d-zone face off. Larkin then forces a turnover but then commits an egregious giveaway that the Sharks turn into a tic tac toe passing play, forcing a flashy trapper save from Lyon. The Kane-Cat-Compher line nearly turns a dump-n-chase into a Kane goal via another shaky save effort from Kahkonen, but he’s able to just squeeze the puck in the crease. Veleno’s line also nearly creates a goal with a shot-pass from Gostisbehere at the point to net-front veteran Justin Holl. We go into the first commercial break of the third with Ken and Ozzie talking about how the basement-dwelling Sharks are missing several key players due to injury.
Out of the commercial, Larkin’s line gets hemmed in and their shift ends with Lyon having to make a sudden save on Granlund. The end of the next shift ends with another huge save from Lyon, this time on Zadina. Zadina has teammates giving him encouraging backrubs on the bench. Kane nearly squeaked a tough-angle shot in, but the Wings are struggling to establish any kind of possession. The Sharks are fully tilted towards Lyon. Barbanov quickly gains the zone, easily keeps the puck away from Copp, and swings the puck past a screened Lyon far side.
Detroit 2 – San Jose 3
The next shift, Raymond gets pulled down from behind by Rutta and it’s time for a RRRRRED WINGS POWER PLAY!! Larkin wins the draw, but the puck bounces out of the zone Seider does a drop pass and I’m le sad. Oh and there’s another one. First minute killed with no threats.
Ghost with a drop pass that works! Raymond takes it, gains the zone, makes a lovely backhand pass to Sprong who makes an even lovelier pass to Perron who hammers it home!! Have yourself a game, Daniel Sprong.
Detroit 3 – San Jose 3
Quick shift after the goal. The next one ends just as quickly with a slashing penalty to Dylan Larkin. Kill time when we return from commercials. I especially like the one that makes us listen to a squeaky dog toy for 15 seconds straight. Immediately off the faceoff, Hoffman misses the net just high. The Sharks maintain possession and move the puck well, looking as competent on the man advantage as they have all night. After a minute of danger, Compher is finally able to block the puck up high and get a clear.
On the second unit, Maatta makes a remarkable play behind the net to get another clear. Compher comes back on the ice and nearly gets himself a breakaway goal after some nice D from Walman. The penalty is killed.
Perron made a great backchecking play. Hertl nearly created something out of nothing. We once again are going to commercial without an explanation on a pending penalty. Apparently this one went to review and it’s time for a RRRRRED WINGS POWER PLAY after it was confirmed that Walman took a stick to the face not on the follow-thru of a shot, but when the stick was coming back down.
There has been a fair amount of juggling on the power play units throughout the evening. This time it’s Sprong on the ‘top’ unit with Compher, Raymond, Perron, and Ghost. Sprong certainly earned that tonight, though I’m not sure I agree with the strategy. Whole lotta nothin. Second unit is Cat, Kane, Larkin, Fabbri, and Seider. The only thing that happens is a 3-on-2 for San Jose that ends with another flashy Lyon glove.
D-zone faceoff with 12 to go on the power play and the Wings can’t get it past center ice. Penalty killed. The Bally crew again points out the Wings haven’t had a regulation win since December 12th with 2 minutes left in tonight’s game, and sure enough, Raymond takes advantage of some soft defense to gain the zone, makes a nasty cross ice pass to Perron, who centers towards Larkin. Perron’s feed goes off a Sharks defensemen and into the net. David Perron gives the Wings the late lead with his second goal of the game!!
Detroit 4 – San Jose 3
With 90 seconds to go, the Red Wings take possession, and then probably get away with a bad high sticking on Granlund in the Sharks’ zone. They ice the puck with 70 to go, and now the Sharks’ net is empty. The Sharks return the icing favor, and Kahkonen is back in with 47 to go. Raymond makes a really smart play in the neutral zone to kill 20 seconds. The Sharks establish possession momentarily, but with 10 seconds left, Rasmussen blocks a shot at the blue line and takes it the rest of the way to ice the Red Wings’ regulation victory. Moose in the empty net!
Final Score: Detroit 5 – San Jose 3
Final Thoughts:
The NHL is hard. Too often in tonight’s game, the Red Wings were clearly outplayed by the consensus worst team in the League. And yet, I wouldn’t say any specific Red Wings were Standout Awful. The Cat-Compher-Kane line left the most to be desired for me, and there were plenty of mistakes, but a regulation win in this League is a regulation win. And boy, were we way overdue for one.
I think the biggest takeaway from this game is a variation on the ‘play a 60-minute game’ trope. Several times this season, this team has been absolutely dominating a period, only to play flat-footed for the final three and let in a demoralizing goal in the final 60 seconds. The second biggest takeaway for me is that Alex Lyon is a stud. This game could have easily been 4-1 for San Jose after the first period alone.
The third is that this team is deeper than they appear, at least on offense. Kane-Cat-Compher I think struggled to generate meaningful offense tonight quite a bit. Copp, Rasmussen, and Veleno had pretty horrible games. Chiarot and Gostisbehere is a defensive pairing that needs to end immediately. And yet, there were long stretches of control. Not dominance, necessarily, and yes, this opponent isn’t the toughest to play against, but rolling four lines with that many ‘struggling’ players and still potting five means you’ve got something to work with. I think it’s going to be very interesting to see how they take this into a very well-coached, structurally-sound team in the LA Kings on Thursday.
