Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, March 14, 2021. Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Red Wings like how hard they’re working, but it’ll take more than that for them to start liking the outcome of so many of these close games.
Jonathan Bernier delivered his usual dependable performance Sunday at Little Caesars Arena, but special teams disappointed, and the Wings didn’t get a puck into the Carolina Hurricanes’ net until 9.4 seconds left on the clock.
That was too little too late, too late, against one of the best teams in the Central Division and left the Wings to explain a 2-1 loss.
It was all the more disappointing come on the heels of taking three of four points from the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning last week.
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“We want to win,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “We play hard every night. We work for each other. Sometimes it doesn’t go in. We weren’t hard enough around the net. We need to start seeing results, but I think the structure of our game and working for each other has been far better than what it was last year. It’s been far better than what it was at the beginning of the season, even.
“If we stick with it I do believe we’re going to be successful, we are going to win games. We are going to be in these games that are close games against playoff teams and teams that made it far in the playoffs and we’re going to be learning from it and gaining experience and winning these games.”
The Wings (8–17–4) often talked in the first half of needing to win close games, because they don't have the firepower to engage in high-scoring affairs. They failed to convert on two power plays against the Canes, and gave up a shorthanded goal to Dougie Hamilton off a Filip Zadina turnover. Nino Niederreiter scored in the third period.
Bernier made 30 saves, and Anthony Mantha scored on the last of the Wings’ 26 shots.
“We were super sloppy with the puck, and then we didn’t have even close to good enough of a shooting mentality,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “We passed up opportunities to shoot it. As a result, we didn’t create chaos until the third. We had some good chances in the third, it became a little more hectic of a game at that point.
“Sometimes from a coach’s perspective, fan’s perspective, reporter’s perspective – we all want them to shoot the puck more. This year we’ve done a fine job of it, but we have gotten a little bit away from it, especially from our defensemen being ready to one-time pucks.”
The teams play again Tuesday.
Mantha confident
Fresh off his first multipoint game of the season, Mantha scored his team-leading eighth goal. “I think he feels good about his game, and when Anthony feels good about his game, good things happen,” Blashill said. “He is a guy that is way better when he is in that confident kind of groove, and he seems to be in that right now.” Mantha had four shots on net. “He’s been putting the puck in the net, which is good to see for him,” Larkin said. “He seems to be shooting it more. He’s moving his feet a little more, and that helps as a line. It’s been good and hopefully he can keep going.”
Bernier big
Larkin had two solid scoring chances in the first period, but it was Bernier down at the other end who was busiest, making a dozen saves in the first 20 minutes. The Hurricanes were without leading scorer Vincent Trocheck, but Andrei Svechnikov had a couple good chances and Sebastian Aho also forced a save. It was Bernier’s second consecutive start and 10th in 14 games.
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Seven-Eleven
The Wings went with seven defensemen and 11 forwards, the same lineup that earned a 6-4 victory last week over the Lightning. “The seven d are all guys I wanted in the lineup and above whoever the next forward was,” Blashill said. “And then ultimately the way the lineup is right now with the 11 forwards, everybody has a role. Everybody is on a special team, and the next guy going in is probably not on a special team, so then that person doesn’t play much.” Blashill likes the freedom to spread more minutes to his offensive forwards – for example, Zadina and Mantha each skated on their own respective lines, but also took shifts with the Bobby Ryan-Michael Rasmussen combo.
Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill, March 14, 2021. Detroit Free Press
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
The Link LonkMarch 15, 2021 at 06:44AM
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2021/03/14/detroit-red-wings-game-score-carolina-hurricanes/4691935001/
Detroit Red Wings let down by special teams in 2-1 loss to Carolina Hurricanes - Detroit Free Press
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