Wings Ice Cold In 5-1 Loss; Mantha Remains Hot

Anthony Mantha is trending up while the Red Wings continue to fall further and deeper into a familiar hole. While Mantha scored his third goal in as many games, Detroit fell to Tampa 5-1 and dropped its seventh straight. This game wasn’t even close from the start as Tampa built a quick 3-0 lead in the first five minutes of the game. Here’s the lone Red Wings’ goal.

For those fans that missed the game because it was on so early during the work week, there wasn’t much to miss. Here are a few observations as the Wings lick their wounds:

Red Wings lineup decisions were predictably poor

Lineups like tonight make it even tougher to watch. At this point, beyond pride, I don’t see why Valtteri Filppula or Frans Nielsen are fixtures in the lineup. None. With Adam Erne and Sam Gagner returning, it bumped Matthias Brome and locked Givani Smith out again. Michael Rasmussen was shipped back to the taxi squad. Maybe there’s been a directive to tank hard because I truly don’t see how either Flippula or Nielsen make this team better right now. 

Dylan Larkin

Needs Rest

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I thought their worst performance of the season was the loss to Chicago but this one might be worse. Detroit was out of the game within the first five minutes. Worse, Larkin is clearly hurt and

trying to gut through it. Now’s not the time or the season. This is starting to descend into last year’s nightmare and at this point, why jeopardize anything by playing him? This season isn’t going to produce much more than a top four pick again. It’s time to be smart. Plus, it’s the only way Smith, Brome, or Rasmussen can possibly break into the lineup.

This season might be worse than last year

I hope I’m wrong here. Really, I do. But after writing about their confidence being better seven games ago, tonight was troubling. Outside of a handful of players, they looked listless tonight. If there was ever a game where I felt Blashill might have lost them, it was this one. After the third goal in the first five minutes, it was essentially over and it appeared that way for the final 55 minutes. There’s  clearly a talent divide between Detroit and Tampa Bay, but this was even brutal for Red Wing rebuild standards. Blashill took blame for the slow start, and I don’t disagree at all.

I’m finally understanding why Steve Yzerman cautioned for patience and time. Last year might not have been bottom after all.