Mick quote of the pregame: “Hit that Tuukka Rask right between the eyes” (on Mantha for Light the Lamp).
New guy Fabbri and slightly less new guy Perlini are in. Old guy Green is back. Bernier in net. For Boston, this has trap game written all over it. Let’s gooooooo!
First Period
First 30 seconds looking good, yeah we’re breaking it down this minuscule because things could go extremely poorly later, nice shift by Bert and pals to kick things off. Case in point, 1:09 and Krejci scores. 1-0 Boston. I award the first “yike” of the game.
IT’S A LARKIN PARTY AND WE’RE ALL INVITED. That wraparound shot and deflected by Bergeron into the net. Tied 1-1 and the clock is frozen at 17:42 because the Wings scoring a goal has broken the universe.
We’re only four minutes in and it’s time for a Red Wings powerplay! Larkin is looking very Larkin-y and you love to see it. No goals for either team on the Wings powerplay, so it’s not terrible.
Almost halfway through the first and Boston’s so-called “Perfect Line” makes Hronek look silly but a big save by Bernier keeps the game tied. Non-Larkin lines are making some pretty good effort, particularly Abelkader, yes it’s true.
Marchand with blatant interference and Wings back on the powerplay with 9 minutes to go. Larkin gets hit hard in the face with a stick off the faceoff, he’s sent off the ice for injury precaution (he’s fine) and play is stopped but no penalty is called.
But who cares because…
FABBRI SCORES ON THE POWERPLAY YES IT’S TRUE WE HAVE THE LEAD NOW. 2-1 Red Wings. First game as a Wing (traded for de la Rose on Wednesday) and scores with his former teammate Bertuzzi setting him up with the pass and then, more importantly, leaping into his arms in celebration.
pretty cool screencap of bertuzzi and fabbri pic.twitter.com/5dLE7b5SJX
— Kyle M. (@KyleWIIM) November 9, 2019
A new old bromance rekindled? This author says, yes.
7 minutes to go and Boston is on the powerplay. Bernier makes some huge stops, looks dialed in tonight. I’m sure that sentence will not age poorly.
Red Wings end the period with the 2-1 lead and look energetic and happy, it’s weird but I like it.
Mick QOTP: “What are we dealin with here?? Holy smoke. McIlrath will clear you out, boy. That’s one thing about that big boy, he’s a mean son of a gun and you’re not gonna stand around in front of the net with him in the lineup.”
Second Period
Perfect Pastrnak hooks Larkin who goes down heavily (still ok) and Red Wings get another powerplay 30 seconds in. Some quick puck movement and beautiful passing to set up FABBRI AGAIN! Detroit leads 3-1.
If you thought Robby Fabbri and @tylerbertuzzi were done, think again. pic.twitter.com/GuhqsoCsGx
— NHL (@NHL) November 9, 2019
Larkin labors over to the bench having taken another hit to the face, could you all please stop? He’s seems to still be ok though. Krug gets a delay of game penalty – which are only stupid when they go against your team – and the Wings are on their fourth powerplay at 16:30.
Powerplay quickly negated as Chara gets tripped up. Larkin’s stick blade got hooked into Chara’s skate, just one of those things because HE WOULD NEVER on purpose and we go 4 on 4 for a bit and the Wings kill off what’s left of Larkin’s penalty.
HRONEK FIGHT’S MARCHAND just over halfway through the period. Hronek doesn’t necessarily win the fight, but it gets rid of Marchand which is a victory. Marchand took a Run up high at Hronek, they push At each other a bit and Then Marchand dropped the gloves and Hronek is no coward. Hronek had also been cross-checked by Marchand earlier in the game (I think).
Boston’s gonna Boston and take another penalty. Krejci back in the box (with Marchand) and Wings get another powerplay. Boston gets mad, Bertuzzi gets energized. Circle of life. Rask is keeping Boston in the game. Filppula takes a weak tripping penalty and the Bruins get a big goal with 4 seconds left on the powerplay. 3-2 Wings.
HOLY JUMPIN BERNIER. Save of the game on a wide open net and a wide open Pastrnak that would have been an absolute momentum killer. Highway robbery.
Wings hang on to the 3-2 lead. Phew.
Mick QOTP: “No place for a nervous person.”
Third Period
I know, I’m also surprised we’re playing so well that I’m still writing in sentences and not just fragments of sadness.
Boston gets their chance to tie it up when Bowey goes off for slashing five minutes in. Bernier hangs tough and Larkin has been taking alllll the faceoffs all game. Scary goalpost clank but luckily a whiff on the rebound that was looking toward a wide open net. Wings kill the penalty.
Red Wings MLB line really buzzing halfway through the period while Boston has cooled their tempers and are putting some plays together. However, Wings are breaking down a bit in our own end and Bernier keeps coming up with the big saves.
Did I say Boston had cooled their tempers? Things are heated again. Larkin ends up in a headlock for some reason and Bertuzzi is held back by Bergeron. Bert would have definitely exploded over to help if Marchand hadn’t gotten his stinky pit away from our future captain. Marchand salutes coming off the ice for some reason and keeps chirping, Larkin gives zero anything about it.
Things are s t r e s s f u l with 6 minutes to play and a one goal lead. It’s weird to be anxious in the third period, but indicates at least a moral victory and perhaps even an actual one.
Helm remembers he plays hockey and eats up some time and the crowd fires up a LGRW chant for the first time in a month [probably]. Three minutes to go.
Two minutes and Boston has an empty net. Wings still up 3-2.
1:30 to go and MANTHA SCORES ON THE EMPTY NET. 4-2 RED WINGS!!!!! What’s even better is Mantha shot it off Marchand’s face then took it down the ice and scored.
One minute to go.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES??? RED WINGS WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!
Mick QOTP: “He [Rask] coulda got an Oscar for that one. He coulda gotten a two minute embellishment on himself, that’d be pretty embarrassing!”
