from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,
During a 5-2 road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, there were four first-round draft picks of Detroit GM Steve Yzerman among the 18 skaters suited up for the first time. Center Marco Kasper, selected eighth overall, was making his NHL debut.
“I thought Marco was great,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde was telling Bally Sports Detroit after the game. “Simple game, safe game, good team game. Never got himself in trouble. Was around the net.”
Kasper played 14:59 in his NHL bow. “I think the underlying numbers for him are going to be very good,” Lalonde said. “I think for a first game, under these type of circumstances, he passed with flying colors.”...
While the obvious numbers for Seider might not look as impressive on paper as they were last season while he was earning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, the fact of the matter is that he’s performing in a much more well-rounded fashion this season.
“I think for me it’s night and day,” suggested Detroit assistant coach Bob Boughner. “Mo obviously had a great rookie season. I thought that he put a lot of points up and he won the big prize, but I think there’s parts of his game that have improved since training camp. You can see how physical he’s playing. He’s taking that assignment of playing against the top players every night. He is taking that challenge of shutting the other team’s talent down with great pride.
“He’s become an elite penalty killer. He’s learning how to run that first unit up top on the power play. He’s getting lots of opportunity there. It’s a lot to be asking of a guy that age with that experience but excited to see where he goes, because I mean the sky is really the limit for him.”...
Below watch a post game video with Larkin, Kasper and Lalonde.
from Dave McCarthy at NHL.com,
"It's a great feeling coming here and beating a team like that," Larkin said. "It's always fun coming in here and winning and quieting the home fans."
Nedeljkovic, who was recalled from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League on Mar. 23, has won his past three starts with a save percentage of .928.
"I'm so happy for 'Ned,' and obviously (he was) a big factor why we stay in those games lately," Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider said. "Ever since he came back, he's owned the net. He's been robbing guys, saving games. It's been really fun to watch."
read on
That was a very impressive performance. Ned played one of the best games as a Red Wing.
Kasper was super impressive for the first NHL game.
It was a good performance by many, Ned, Larkin, Seider, Kasper, Copp, Walman, others.
Larkin said. "It's always fun coming in here and winning and quieting the home fans.”
“always” - First time since 2016, but yes.
I've got it as 12/6/2018
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