from Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News,
The dropped game — described as "very winnable" by Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde — was a missed opportunity for the Red Wings (26-21-8), who began play Saturday after all four teams ahead of Detroit in the wild-card standings had already lost. Buffalo would go on to move into a playoff position with a win over San Jose.
"Our second effort wasn't there tonight," Lalonde told Bally Sports Detroit. "They were a little heavier than us, they executed better, they made a few more plays — we just left too much out there.
"This was a winnable game. We had plenty of opportunities. We just didn't execute throughout, didn't give ourselves a chance."...
Getting the win proved to be a tough task for the Wings, who played four games in six nights out West after traveling to Vancouver on Sunday morning.
"I didn't think we had our best first two periods," Bertuzzi said. "We kind of made a push in the third, late in the third, and the goalie stood on his head."
Below, watch some post game videos.
The Red Wings' season possession numbers are the bottom of the NHL, with the usual suspects are below us. Their CF% is 4th worst in the league. Their SOGF% is 6th worse in the league. Our Goals-For percentage is only 12th worse in the league, so one would think this is an improvement. However our xGF% is 6th worse in the league.
Looking at the shot quality we are 4th worse in the league in scoring-chances-for percentage (SCF%) and 6th worse in high-danger-scoring-chances-for percentage (HDCF%). However, our actual number of HDCF (producing chances) is 2nd worse in the NHL while our actual number of HDCA (giving-up chances) are 12th worse in the league. Our HDGF% is in the middle of the league (16th); we are 16th in the league in converting on our high-danger chances and we're top-ten in the league (9th) in stopping high-danger chances against us. Our overall save-percentage is 12th worse in the NHL and our overall shooting-percentage is top-ten (8th) in the league.
Our goalies are doing very well against high-danger chances but a bit below average in other chances. What we are doing well (at least much better than the last number of years) is suppressing actual shots. Our actual # of shots against is 8th worse in the league. Our actual #of SOGs against is 12th best in the league while our actual # of goals against is 18th best in the league.
It appears our offense is suffering by playing defense first (3rd worst in league in Corsi-for, 3rd worst in league in SOGs-for, and 3rd worst in league in xGF) but this strategy seems to be what this group needs; they seem to need all five players concentrating on limiting shots against.
Our current success seems to be predicated on a high shooting percentage and a high high-danger save percentage.
Now, speaking of just our last twelve games the numbers are a bit odd. Our CF% is worst in the league. Our SOGF% is 3rd worst in the league. Our GF% is 15th best in the league and our xGF% is 4th worst in the league (performing much better than expected). Our SCF% is 2nd worst in the league and our HDCF% is 3rd worst in the league. Our HDSH% is 8th best in the league and our HDSV% is 21st best in the league. Our overall shooting percentage is 12th best in the league and our overall save percentage is 9th best in the league.
In order to actually get better we have to improve both our defensive numbers and our offensive numbers. We can't keep relying on a high shooting percentage and an excellent save percentage. Our goalies cratered last year and we saw the results. Hopefully our defense can limit chances against and our offense can create high-quality scoring chances.
I'm such an optimist. :-)
Adam Proteau of The Hockey News names Dylan Larkin as the first star.
In four games this week, Larkin led the streaking Red Wings on offense, with a league-high four goals and eight points. Detroits captain and No. 1 center is now on a seven-game point streak (in which hes generated seven goals and 13 points), and hes on a pace to produce 33 goals, 51 assists and 83 points. That would be a new personal best for Larkin, whose current career highs are 32 goals and 73 points, both posted in the 2018-19 campaign, and 47 assists, set in 2017-18.
Much is being made of Larkins contractual situation as a pending UFA at the end of this season, but we believe hell find common ground with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, get a decent raise on his current $6.1-million annual salary and remain in Detroit. He is too valuable to let leave, and if the Wings have any hope of beating out numerous teams for a wild-card slot this season, theyll need Larkin to be undistracted as he continues to provide consistent
The Red Wings were actually close to Seattle in total shots in the game, but just couldn't score.
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