Before jumping into the recap I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Ken Daniels and his family on the lose of his son Jamie. As a father I cannot even begin to imagine what Ken and his family are going through right now. The thoughts and prayers of Red Wings fans everywhere are with the entire Daniels family right now.
The Red Wings came into this one having battled back from a two goal deficit for a win in their last two games but that would not be the case tonight. The Blue Jackets took advantage of some questionable decisions and juicy rebounds from Petr Mrazek to chase him from the game in the second period and take a 3-1 lead into the third period where they simply did what they have done all season before scoring a late empty net goal to beat the Red Wings 4-1.
First Period
The Wings came out with some early jump and energy early on but unfortunately they also brought out the same defensive miscues that have plagued them this season. After a couple early turnovers that lead to quality scoring chances by the Blue Jackets are turned away by Petr Mrazek, Andreas Athanasiou came onto the ice for his first shift back and immediately showed what he brings to this team by using his speed and skill to get around a defender and draw a tripping penalty from Sam Gagner. A loose puck turned into a two-on-one for the Columbus and despite some good hustle by Dylan Larkin to get back and negate the advantage Cam Atkinson, with a little help from the post, fires the puck in behind Mrazek for a shorthanded goal and a 1-0 lead. The Wings were able to regroup and get a couple chances of their own on the power play but could not find the back of the net. That play carried into the next few shifts afterward as Mantha hit the first of two posts in the period by throwing a bad angle shot low and into a Blue Jackets’ skates. Immediately after that Wings fans held their breath as Mike Green and Zach Werenski came together and Green was a bit slow to get up. He went down the tunnel to the dressing room as soon as he got back to the bench but would return before the period was over. The highlight late in the period came from a nifty little play by the Wings on a breakout as Fans Nielsen handed the puck off to Larkin as they crossed over and Larkin found some space down the middle, absolutely undressed a Blue Jacket defender to get in alone on Sergei Bobrovsky but was unable to find a way to get the puck into the net. The Wings continued to do well battling for the puck in their own zone and it almost paid off late as Mantha took a chip pass from Steve Ott off the boards and used his size and speed to get in alone before ringing his second shot off the post.
Second Period
The Wings came out with more of the same push and were rewarded with a power play off of a Zach Werenski hook on Gustav Nyquist. They finally broke through as Larkin did his best Phil Kessel against the Red Wings impression finding himself all alone at the left dot and he absolutely buried the cross-ice feed from Tomas Vanek to not the game up at one. Shortly after known agitator Scott Harnell put a big hit on Tomas Jurco, a hit Ott did not appreciate so he and Hartnell dropped the gloves. Outside of Matt Sheppard continuing to ask Mickey questions when he had a mouthful of food, not much happened for the next few minutes until Mrazek decided to come out of his net to cover a puck and get a whistle. The referee decided not to blow the play dead so Mrazek was forced to play the puck. Unfortunately, it went around the boards right to a David Savard, who threw it right on net off the scrambling Mrazek and because two Red Wings were caught mucking it up in the corner Brandon Dubinsky was standing alone right there to deposit the rebound into the net for a 2-1 Columbus lead. The Wings have been one of the better teams in the league this season in faceoffs but a lost one cost them late in the second as Columbus took a clean faceoff win in the Wings zone and turned it into a 3-1 lead as Lukas Sedlak was able to slot one home after Mrazek was unable to catch a backhander Gagner threw on net from the side boards. That would be it for Mrazek as Jimmy Howard would take over for him. The goals by Columbus seemed to really take the wind out of the Wings sails until Riley Sheahan stripped the puck away in the Columbus zone and then got a beautiful saucer feed from Zetterberg for a quality chance on Bobrovsky. He was not able to score but that seemed to re-ignite the Wings. They buzzed around the net as Larkin again was Johnny on the spot getting to a loose puck but he was not able to get it over a sprawling Bobrovsky. Shortly after that Vanek nearly tipped a Xavier Ouellet point shot home.
Third Period
I would love to say the Wings came out flying, put pressure on the Blue Jackets until they finally cracked and were able to come back yet again from a two-goal deficit but that simply was not the case in the third period of this one. Columbus has been one of, if not the, best teams at shutting down opponents in the third period and this game was no difference. They smothered the Wings in their own zone, made it extremely difficult to get through center ice with any momentum and when things did get through Bobrovsky was calmly there to glove the puck. A good drive to the net by Zetterberg that drew a Oliver Bjorkstrand hooking call and a Sam Gagner empty net goal with 14 seconds left in the game was about the only highlights in the third.
