Red Wings: Youth Keeps Detroit Competitive in 6-4 Loss to Chicago
The youth on the Detroit Red Wings roster kept the team competitive in their loss to the Blackhawks Monday night – Moritz Seider scored his first goal, Lucas Raymond keeps proving he belongs on the roster and the power play unit scored four times.
First Period
Detroit’s Wyatt Newpower was called for hooking and Chicago had a power play chance just three minutes into the game. Although the penalty kill looked strong early, Tyler Johnson took an ugly chop at a pass from Jonathan Toews to get the Hawks on the board first. Chicago kept their foot on the gas, finishing a few minutes of consistent pressure in the offensive zone with yet another goal. The period went from bad to worse for Detroit. The Blackhawks were given another chance on the man advantage, scoring right at the front of the net as the penalty expired. 3-0 Chicago.
The Red Wings were finally given a shot to get back in the game with a power play . The team had some great looks, generating some shots with good puck movement from defensemen Nick Leddy and Moritz Seider. But the unit came up empty. The Wings gave the Hawks one power play to close out the period, but they didn’t manage to capitalize. The Blackhawks went to the locker room with a 3-0 lead over the Red Wings.
Second Period
The Red Wings power play had it’s second try of the night four minutes into the second. The team finally found some momentum as Bobby Ryan continued his push to fill the roster spot, cashing in on an incredible pass from Lucas Raymond (who’s making his own push to the roster).
Seconds later, Pius Suter slung a pass across the net to Robby Fabbri, but a fantastic save from the newly acquired Marc-Andre Fleury preserved the Blackhawk’s two goal lead. Minutes later, a pass from behind the net pass to an undefended forward led to another goal for the Hawks, stretching the lead to three goals. 4-1 Chicago.
However, the Detroit power play had another opportunity to keep the team in striking distance. And they did just that. Moritz Seider ripped an absolute rocket of a one-timer to the back of the net, cutting Chicago’s lead to just two.
The Hawks seemed hell-bent on keeping the Wings in the game, as a high sticking penalty gave Detroit’s power play yet another chance to claw back into the game.
And again, they cashed in on it.
Fantastic puck movement from Seider and Filip Hronek left Fabbri wide open at the front of the net, where he wristed a shot into a wide open net. The Hawks lead was hacked down to one.
The Red Wings came out firing for the last few minutes of the period, securing a lead in shots on goal in the final seconds of the period.
Third Period
The Red Wings entered the final period of play behind just one goal, clawing back from Chicago’s initial 3-0 start. An interference on Larkin let the Red Wings have another power play.
They scored on that one, too.
Raymond moved up on the point, sniping over Fleury’s shoulder to tie up the game, 4-4.
The Blackhawks eventually shut the door on the comeback, scoring on a two on one created after Newpower turned it over in the defensive zone. An empty netter at with less than twenty seconds to go secured the victory for the Blackhawks.
The Red Wings failed to complete the comeback (although Carter Rowney and Fabbri both had fantastic scoring chances – Rowney shot wide and Fabbri was robbed by Fleury) and the Blackhawks left LCA with a scrappy two point victory, 6-4.
Detroit heads to the Columbus Blue Jackets Wednesday night for their preseason matchup.