from Ansar Khan of Mlive,
This was how you script a comeback.
Filip Zadina was held pointless his first nine games before suffering a broken leg on Nov. 5. He worked hard to get healthy and game-ready, suffering a couple of setbacks along the way.
He finally returned to the lineup Thursday, and when the Detroit Red Wings needed a big play, Zadina delivered by scoring to snap a tie in the third period of a 2-1 victory over Calgary in a game in which his team was outshot by more than a two-to-one margin.
This felt pretty good, obviously.
“It felt even better that I could help the team win the game,” Zadina said. “It felt amazing.”
It was Zadina’s 26th goal and 62nd point in 170 games of trying to establish himself in the NHL and not become a bust as the sixth overall selection in 2018....
Coach Derek Lalonde said he lauded Zadina’s resilience in his postgame address to the team.
“Really happy for him,” Lalonde said. “Guys are pros, they work to get back. This one was different for Z. He worked extremely, extremely hard, and he kept having little setbacks and got what he deserved tonight. Didn’t get a ton of minutes (8:28), but he played well, managed his game. I can’t think of one turnover he had, and he made a play when he got the opportunity, which you want out of a skilled guy. That was lifting for our group and really happy for him.”
Below, watch the extended game highlights.
from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,
There’s no questioning the value that sophomore defenseman Moritz Seider holds in the grand scheme of things for the Detroit Red Wings. As he goes, so goes the club.
Seider was certainly during Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames. In fact, just like the Energizer Bunny, he kept going and going and going . . . over the boards and back out on the ice.
Seider wound up skating a game-high 27:36 in Detroit’s victory. Granted, some of that ice time was due to circumstance. He was logging more than three minutes while the Red Wings were enjoying a four-minute power play during the second period. And when his defensive partner Jake Walman left the for about seven minutes after absorbing a stiff check from Calgary defenseman Nikita Zadorov, Seider was picking up the slack. He was double shiifting with the Wings were down to five rearguards.
“Awesome,” was how Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde was describing Seider’s performance. “Great in every situation.
“In a situation like that, we had five power plays, three kills, had a top-four D out for a large part of the period, he probably logged a little more than we wanted to throw at him but he managed it and was a big part of why we gave up one goal.”...
Playing his first game since November 5, Zadina was netting the game winner in the victory. Playing his first game since December 8, Hagg was drawing an assist on the game winning tally.
“Good. Very good,” Lalonde said of Hagg. “And then we had five (defensemen) there early on and so he probably got more (minutes). His shifts were very short, which is understandable. He did great.”
read on
While I’ve made fun of Zadina’s meager production so far I do wish him success. It’s best for the team.
The better to trade you with...
There's been a lot of praise heaped on Zadina for that goal (and I'm super happy he got it). But there needs to be more mention of the fact that it wouldn't have happened without a perfect pass from Sunny. Zadina's pass to him was in an awkward spot and he had no shot at the goal. But instead of taking a bad shot, Sunny drew the goalie out and then put a pass right on Zadina's stick. And it wasn't the only great pass he made last night.
I just love the guy and I hope they don't move him for a meaningless 4th-rounder. He's the closest thing the Wings have had to Homer since he retired. Keep him. Please.
Agreed OTC
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