Detroit Red Wings Victorious in Raleigh to end losing skid

The Detroit Red Wings end their four-game losing skid with a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, NC.

The Detroit Red Wings once again decided they wanted to chase in their own zone rather than play in the offensive zone.  Despite being outplayed and heavily outshot the Wings somehow find a way to survive and end a four-game losing skid.  The team was heavily outshot once again to the tune of 39-24.

If you didn’t consider the loss of Danny DeKeyser and Mike Green significant, I strongly disagree.  This group struggles mightily in their own zone.  The veteran duo provides stability for the defense core, and they both have the ability to carry the puck out of their own end.

I get that neither would be top defenders on good teams, but on this team, they are top four defensemen.  The Detroit Red Wings have struggled game after game making crisp passing plays to exit their own zone.  How often watching do you see an errant pass end up on the opponents stick at center ice looking to simply re-group and reenter the Wings zone?  Much too often.

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The Detroit Red Wings got scoring tonight from a bunch of unlikely sticks.  The first Detroit Red Wings goal was the opening tally of the night for either team.  Niklas Kronwall scored his second goal of the season with a point shot on the power-play.  The goal was unassisted, he held the puck in at the point and ripped a blast that went right through goaltender Petr Mrazek.

It was a much-needed goal for the Detroit Red Wings; it has been a power play that had been struggling for a couple of weeks that has seemed to come to life of late.  They’ve got three power-play goals over their last three games.

Another ugly effort at the opposing blueline nearly ended back up in the Red Wings net.  Similar to Cholowski’s mis-play the other night.  Bert instead of dumping the puck deep and giving chase tried to stickhandle through heavy traffic. In turn, the Hurricanes sprung Sabastian Aho on a clear breakaway only to see Jonathan Bernier forced to make a spectacular save.

Andrei Svechnikov, the second overall pick in this past summers’ NHL Entry Level Draft, buried his 10th goal of the season.  The goal was challenged by Jeff Blashill, and it looked to be offside.  The situation room in Toronto said it was “inconclusive” and let the call on the ice stand which of course was onside.

The rookie skates on the Canes’ top line and remains their best scoring threat.  I hope Evgeny is watching his younger brother and trying to take something away from his success.  It would be nice if Evgeny could put it all together next season for the Detroit Red Wings.

Frans Nielsen gave the Wings a 2-1 lead with a beautiful tip in front of Mrazek off of a Nick Jensen point shot.  Pete had no chance; he gestured toward the referee as he thought it was tipped by a high stick.  It was not, and the goal would count.

The Wings got a goal on a fluttering weak point shot from Johnny Ericsson.  Ericsson sent the shot through traffic towards the goal; it happened to hit Trevor van Riemsdyk and redirected past Mrazek.  It is big “E’s” third goal of the season.

When you get goals from Kronwall and Ericsson in the same game, you should drop everything and play the lottery.  I mean that just won’t happen very often.  You need to take advantage of those nights and turn those games into victories.  Despite how bad the Wings played I am glad they were able to hang on to win.

Notes: Jonathan Ericsson scores and leads the team in ice time tonight.  He played 23:23 tonight for the Wings.  That is two things you will not hear every night.  As hard as we are on the big defenseman, we need to give him credit when he earns it, and he deserved it tonight.

Dylan Larkin hit the empty net to seal this thing at 4-1.  Larkin extends his point streak to 9 games.  The kid is red-hot, and he is turning into a super-star right in front of our eyes.

Jonathan Bernier was unbelievable tonight.  He made many miraculous saves en route to a 38 save performance.  The Wings are once again set to play back to back games Saturday and Sunday.  They host the Florida Panthers at LCA Saturday and head to Toronto Sunday.

It will be interesting to see who Blashill starts in-goal Sunday.  I would consider playing Howie Saturday at home and Bernie in Toronto.  Toronto isn’t a game you want to see a goalie who hasn’t played and is fighting a stiff back to get back into things against.