Rough game last night for the Red Wings, falling 7-3 to the Hurricanes. Jeff Blashill touched on it in the pregame that the scoring chances allowed were too high last night — 19 total — and they will obviously need a better effort tonight.
Finally, some defensive changes as Mike Green (may be expecting the birth of his child…congrats if so!) and Joe Hicketts are scratched. Alex Biega and Dennis Cholowski jump back into the lineup.
The Wings need more scoring help in this one as it can’t be the Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha show the whole way. The trio has combined for 43% of the team’s points so far this year…yikes.
1st Period
Interesting move by Blashill starting the fourth line off the hop. Jacob de la Rose takes the opening draw against Aleksander Barkov. Hope we don’t see that matchup too often tonight.
Good first shift surprisingly for the Red Wings, but Bertuzzi jumps on the ice and catches Colton Sceviour with an accidental high-stick at the 1:02 mark of the first period.
Brett Connolly rings one off the post and a short while later gets another chance and he rifles it home right over Jonathan Bernier’s glove. 1-0 Panthers just 3:05 into the first period.
Another look at Brendan Perlini and he has some good breakout speed out of his own zone. Add that with his size, I wonder what he would look like on a line with (Andreas) Athanasiou and Mantha?
Mickey Redmond points it out on the broadcast and he’s right, the fourth line has definitely had the most energy so far tonight for Detroit. I would say it’s been their best line early on.
Mike Hoffman curls in over the blueline and lets a quick wrist shot go through traffic that’s eaten up by Bernier. Still 1-0 Panthers at the 11:13 mark.
Valtteri Filppula reaches in with his stick on…oh, it’s Sceviour again…and he goes to the box for hooking at the 16:42 mark.
It doesn’t take long for the Panthers to capitalize as Barkov cleans up the rebound on the point shot and scores his second of the year just :12 seconds into the man advantage. 2-0 Panthers.
On the center ice faceoff, Mackenzie Weegar trips up Bertuzzi and the Wings will get a chance to cut the lead in half on a powerplay of their own.
Nothing cooking on the man advantage for Detroit. The Wings are in an early hole as the period comes to a close. 2-0 Panthers after 20 minutes.
Shots: 15-6 FLA
Score: 2-0 FLA
2nd Period
Early chance for the Wings, started by Larkin cycling in behind the Panthers net, but Bertuzzi gets the best chance off a blocker save by Sergei Bobrovsky.
The Wings have certainly used their speed and have some energy to start the period, but the Panthers are laying the boom. First it was Connolly colliding with Madison Bowey at center ice and then Josh Brown stood up Frans Nielsen at the blueline.
Jonathan Huberdeau gets two nice cracks at the top of the crease, but Bernier is equal to the task to keep this at a two-goal game at 6:34 mark.
Returning from commercial break, the big dogs for Florida (Barkov and Huberdeau) are still out there and it’s Huberdeau that pounces on a loose puck in front of Bernier to make it 3-0.
Detroit drives the play deep into the Florida end following the goal and Perlini draws a slashing call on Connolly at the 7:46 mark. This team needs a bounce to get back into this hockey game.
Oh no, AA leaves the ice after a big hit. We’ll keep an eye on that.
After a couple minutes he’s back on the bench (phew!). He seems to be flexing his left arm…maybe he hyperextended it? Good to see him back.
The chances have certainly been minimal for the Wings tonight. They’ve spent much of the second period in their own zone and look rather lethargic.
Shots: 29-14 FLA
Score: 3-0 FLA
3rd Period
So far it’s been all Panthers. Let’s see if the Wings come out with some fight in this third period.
Bernier gets spun out of his net, but recovers in time to make a nice stop on Barkov. Bernier was almost fully into the corner and it’s a miracle he got back in time for that save.
Folks, the Wings are officially on life support in this game right now. It has not been pretty.
The Wings are going to get another powerplay as Aaron Ekblad goes off for high-sticking Mantha at the 7:26 mark.
Of course, nothing brewing on the man advantage and the Panthers remain up 3-0.
The Panthers come right back into the Wings’ zone as Keith Yandle fakes everyone to the right side, finds Huberdeau down low and he re-directs it for the 4-0 lead at the 10:46 mark.
And, the opportunities are plentiful for Florida as Frank Vatrano breaks in alone, but he’s turned away by Bernier. It’s safe to say the defense is not going to improve over night.
Almost 5-0, but Bernier slides over to rob Huberdeau of the hat trick off a slick re-direct from Barkov’s pass.
That game was nothing short of depressing. It will be interesting to see how the boys in red and white rebound from those back-to-back losses.
Shots: 41-22 FLA
Final Score: 4-0 FLA
