DETROIT – It seems counterproductive for a team that is missing several players and has struggled on the power play to not use two of its top scorers in a couple of man-advantage situations.
But Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill defended his decision to not put Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha on the ice for his team’s first two power plays in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Florida at Little Caesars Arena. He said it could happen again.
“Obviously, our power play hasn’t been good enough,” Blashill said. “That’s the definition of insanity, just doing the same thing over and over again. So, we felt like we’d try a couple other guys to give them an opportunity to see how they do. And when they weren’t getting it done, we went back to Larkin and Mantha.
“Ultimately, the power play is not a whole bunch of schematics, it’s about executing and making plays. Somebody’s got to step up and play better in those situations. If it’s Larks and Mantha, great; if it’s somebody else, great. I’m not sure how you find out it’s somebody else if you don’t try other people.”
The Red Wings went 0 for 4 on the power play, the last two with Larkin and Mantha on the unit.
“It’s something that for the team we got to take a look at,” Larkin said. “It wasn’t working, so try other guys.
“The whole season, even training camp, (Blashill) says (playing on the power play) is a privilege, and we just haven’t been good enough, so try to switch something up and get it going. It definitely was a good lesson for me, I guess.”
Blashill, already missing power-play people in Robby Fabbri, Filip Zadina and Sam Gagner due to COVID protocol, used Valtteri Filppula, Mathias Brome, Vladislav Namestnikov and Taro Hirose, players who haven’t played as much on the power play.
“I think Taro Hirose is a fairly natural fit as a half-wall guy; he’s probably got the most poise,” Blashill said. “It might not be the last time we make that decision as guys come back. If we don’t get it done, somebody’s got to come off. It doesn’t really matter your name; it matters who’s going to execute. At the end the day, I made a decision those guys were not going to be on it and somebody else was going to be on it. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
The Red Wings are now 4 for 31 on the power play (12.9 percent).
Chaos needed on power play
The Red Wings scored both of their goals on rebounds, one from the slot (Mantha) and one from the crease (Tyler Bertuzzi). It is the type of net-front havoc they need to create more of on the power play.
That is how Florida scored one of its two power-play goals, from Keith Yandle with 0.6 seconds remaining in the first period to tie it at 2-2.
“They were hard at our net,” Larkin said. “They just get it to the net and (Patric) Hornqvist was flying into the net there, created chaos and the puck was laying there for Yandle.
“Good second and third chances, throw it to the net, have bodies there. Get the puck back A lot of power-play goals in the league are scored like that.”
Said Blashill: “Creating havoc and outnumbering and converging at the net is how you score on the power play. It’s finding ways to funnel pucks to the net with more people than them. That starts with executing on your entries so you can get in the zone and set up. Tonight, we had opportunities for good entries and didn’t execute well enough.”
Mantha responds favorably
Blashill said Mantha has responded well after a bad game in Chicago last Sunday, in which he was benched for most of the third period.
“I think he’s working hard, he’s trying to get his game going,” Blashill said. “I think he’s played better the last couple of games.
“Anthony cares, he wants to be a good player. He’s just got to keep grinding. The biggest thing with any of our guys is to make sure you’re proactive with your work ethic ahead of time so then you’re in good positions to check, get pucks and attack better the other way, and Anthony has done a better job at that.”
Mantha has two goals and three assists in nine games, along with a minus-9 rating that is among the worst in the league.
“With Mo, he knows he has to take a step,” Larkin said. “He’s working, he’s trying to find his game.
“I thought (Saturday) was one of his best games. He was moving his feet. He’s got such long range and a great shot that if he moves his feet, he’s such a dangerous player, breaks up plays and ends up going the other way on offense. He wants to do better, and we got to do a good job getting him going and pumping him up and making sure he’s playing his game.”
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The Link LonkJanuary 31, 2021 at 12:28PM
https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2021/01/red-wings-jeff-blashill-makes-surprising-decision-with-power-play-units.html
Red Wings’ Jeff Blashill makes surprising decision with power-play units - MLive.com
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