Detroit Red Wings fall 3-1 to Washington Capitals

The Detroit Red Wings(22-10-9) visited Washington DC to play against the surging Washington Capitals(21-11-8).  The Red Wings were coming off a 3-2 victory against the Flames and were looking to keep the victories coming in a month where the majority of their games would be played on the road.  Washington’s last game saw them fall to Philadelphia 3-2 in overtime.  Detroit had called up AHL scoring sensation Teemu Pulkkenin(20 goals and 8 straight goals in the last 8 games)  to replace Johan Franzen who was out with an upper body injury.

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First Period:  Detroit 0 Washington 1

If you wanted to see a text-book example of how not to start a period this was it.  Not only did the Wings take an early penalty that resulted in a goal against it also left goaltender Jimmy Howard injured after attempting to make a save and needing to be stretchered off the ice with an apparent groin injury, as reported by Fox Sports Detroit.  Petr Mrazek would enter the game at only 1:53 into the first period.  That’s right less than 2 minutes into the game the Red Wings took a puck over glass penalty, were down 1-0 and lost All-Star Jimmy Howardto injury.   It didn’t get any better as it would be nearly 6 minutes into the game before the Wings would register their first shot.  As the game went on Detroit  seemed to come to life clogging the middle and generating their own chances.

The 3rd and 4th lines started pulling the chain after a lack luster power play that resulted in 0 shots.  Pulkkinen showed why he was called off throwing everything he could on net.  He wasn’t all offense as he was solid on the fore-check and great on the back check.  Shots for the period ended at 8 for Detroit 6 for Washington.

Second Period:  Detroit 1 Washington 3

Barry Trotz and the Nashville Capitals did an excellent job clogging the lanes and keeping shots low.  Each team registered 4 shots, Washington scored on 2 of them.  That should sum up a period of grab and hook hockey.  Washington threw a blanket over the Wings and they skated right into it.  John Carlson scored off a slap shot in the high slot after the Wings turned the puck over in the neutral zone.  The Capitals would also get a goal from Joel Ward after a broken play saw the puck get chopped to Ward who in turned sent a bouncing puck past Mrazek.  Both plays were sloppy on the Wings part and lacked physical play that could have stopped both goals.

There were brief flashes and the shot total maybe doesn’t do the action justice but this was a slow period and that’s the way Trotz likes it.  The Wings were looking for something, anything to get them back into the game.  With 12 seconds left that something came from an unusual source.  Jonathan Ericsson sent a wrist shot on net that went off of Karl Alzner‘s back and tipped off of Holtby’s glove and in.  The period ended 3-1 with the Wings looking at less of a hill to climb in the 3rd period.  Shots were 12-10 in favor of Detroit.

Third Period: Detroit 1 Washington 3

Down 3-1 the Wings were looking to come out swinging after that late goal.  The period was a moderate improvement at parts but the Washington clutch and grab, interference, high elbows and all saw to it that would not be the case.  With the line blender set to max Babcock sent out Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Justin Abdelkader to try to generate some offense.

Alas it was to no avail.  The Anderson, Miller and Glendening line was skated into the ground.  The Pulkkinen line came up with goose eggs.  Sheahan, Nyquist and Tatar were playing like 3 individual skaters.  The Caps blocked shots were left and right, Holtby was able to see everything that did get to him and Washington to their credit made the neutral zone a quagmire for Detroit skaters.  At 2:30 left in the period the Wings pulled their goalie hoping for something…anything.  A few flurries around the net garnered a bushel of shots and chances but nothing came of it and the Wings fell 3-1.  Final shots 27 for Detroit and 17 for Washington.

Final Word:

What a throw back to 90’s hockey this game was.  Washington made this not only a tough game to play but a tough game to watch.  Worse still is the Wings made it much worse on themselves by skating right into the trap Barry Trotz laid for them.  They were to cute at times.  Their shot selections was poor and they withered under the physical pressure(or interference) Washington laid on them.  They made it to easy with a crap power play and lots of turn overs cost them this one.  Ultimately this was just an unacceptable level of compete for the team and their next game against Buffalo must be better if they want to hold on to their spot in the standings..