It was almost a month ago when the Red Wings opened the regular season at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins. That game did not go well for Detroit, earning a loss in a 6-3 decision. The Wings got the job done Wednesday night in Pittsburgh with a 3-2 overtime win. There was a lot to like in this game, especially coming off back-to-back losses against two really good teams.
Simon Says… Win
Not enough can be said about Simon Edvinsson’s performance so early in his NHL career. This kid is playing big-time minutes against tough competition alongside Mortiz Seider, and it’s paying dividends for this team. That was crystal clear last night when Edvinsson got the puck in his hands in overtime and pulled off a slick toe drag and wrist shot that beat Alex Nedeljkovic. Edvinsson was also tied for most shots on goal with Vladimir Tarasenko. This guy looks like another home run pick by Steve Yzerman.
Cam Can
Cam Talbot was a huge offseason acquisition as a free agent. He’s brought a level of stability as Detroit’s #1 and his numbers are among the best in the NHL. Talbot stopped 31 of 33 shots for a .939 save percentage. Talbot has not allowed more than two goals in his past four starts. Huge piece for this team as they wait for Sebastian Cossa to make his NHL debut.
Penalties Killed
Detroit’s penalty kill has been downright awful so far this season. They’re in the bottom-three for PK%, ahead of only the New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers. Last night, the PK did its job. It only saw two power plays from Pittsburgh, but did not allow a goal. The Penguins aren’t a good team by any means, but take what you can get at this point. Just keep crawling toward improvement.
Berggren’s Honorable Mention
It’s been kind of a rough start for Jonatan Berggren in terms of point production. I think he’s playing well, and the offense will come as a result of that. Last night he notched his first goal of the season about a minute into the second period — the first goal of the game for either team. We know he can light it up, he just needs to trust the process and keep improving.
Now it’s time for everyone’s favorite part of the season — a west coast trip. Detroit is off until Friday night when they play the Anaheim Ducks. They’ll follow that up with the LA Kings Saturday night and then San Jose Monday. They SHOULD come out of this trip with at least two wins. Go get ’em.
