Detroit Red Wings dig a hole early; get shut-out by Coyotes

The Detroit Red Wings went into Arizona looking to pick up two points and continue to stay in the hunt in the playoff race. They needed to go into Mullett Arena and do whatever they could to salvage two points. However, the Arizona Coyotes certainly had other plans.

From the get-go, things did not go well for the Detroit Red Wings; there's no denying that. Detroit looked flat and sluggish, and the Coyotes looked like a real hockey team, which was quite shocking. Arizona took it to Detroit, and it's the last thing the Red Wings needed.

It was not the way that this game was supposed to go. It felt like a game where the Red Wings could come out and send a message with a bounce-back win after getting beat up by the Colorado Avalanche. However, they dug themselves a four-goal hole and were unable to climb back out from it.

While the Red Wings are still in the hunt, they have dropped four games in a row now. Their meager efforts on Friday really put a damper on some of the folks' playoff hopes. If they continue to snowball in this downhill performance trend, things could get ugly. With Vegas on deck for Saturday, there's not much hope.

Detroit Red Wings drop fourth straight in loss to the Coyotes.

Things got started early for the Coyotes, who were able to pick up an early goal, crashing the net hard and picking up a goal after a rebound and good bounce off the boards. They gathered the momentum and struck first, giving them the early ice tilt against Detroit.

Their second goal of the game was a tip-in. It was surely not Alex Lyon's fault, but it still made it a 2-0 game. Alex Kerfoot picked up the tally, getting the stick on a shot from the point off of a face-off, and it found the back of the net. Before the first period even ended, Logan Cooley added another.

Nick Bjugstad sold the fake shot well before sliding one across the crease, allowing Logan Cooley to fire one home and beat Lyon, making it a 3-0 game after 20 minutes. Bjugstad picked up another goal later on, adding the Coyotes' fourth goal in the second period.

The Red Wings showed off some effort during the second period. While the Coyotes extended their lead, Detroit led the charge in scoring chances. They were getting pucks on the net and finding ways to put some pressure on Arizona, but they were unable to score.

The third period was similar. The Red Wings were trying to produce offense, but not enough. They kept putting up scoring chances and trying to get it done, but it was just not enough to dig themselves out of the hole that they had dug.

Not even a rally octopus in the waning minutes of the third period could help the Red Wings. Their meager effort resulted in a beatdown from a team that plays in a college arena, certainly not how many hoped it would pan out.

Not that anyone is counting, but that is also the fourth straight loss since the Detroit Red Wings added their "Priority Waste" jersey patches.