The Detroit Red Wings needed to get back into the 'W' column. Badly. And they did just that, upending the mighty Boston Bruins 5-4 in a game that might have solidified Moritz Seider as a Norris Trophy candidate.
Seider took the First Star of the Night after he put up three points and a goal, and there should be no question that he's going to be a strong candidate for the Norris Trophy. He now has 19 points and four goals in 27 games, putting him on pace for between 57 and 58 points and 12 goals.
Those may not seem like Norris Trophy numbers, but Seider has 17 points and four goals in his last 18 contests. If he keeps up that pace, or if he starts superseding the point-per-game pace, there is no question Seider will at least take a top-10, if not a top-5, finish.
John Gibson finally shows signs of life in the crease
The naysayer will look at John Gibson's numbers from Tuesday night and scoff. Once again, Gibson allowed four goals, and once again, he finished with a sub-0.900 save percentage. Still, he made 34 saves on 38 shots and ended the game with a 0.895 save percentage.
Those aren't the greatest numbers out there, but Gibson just needed to enjoy a halfway decent game, and he did that. Gibson came into this one with an abysmal 0.865 save percentage, a 3.59 save percentage, a 0.308 quality starts percentage, and a 4-7-1 record.
So yeah, let's take the 34-save performance against the high-octane Bruins as a step in the right direction. And if the Wings were smart, they would play him again when they head into Columbus on Thursday to face the Blue Jackets.
Detroit Red Wings offer a glimmer of hope but will it last?
The Red Wings did a lot of good things in Tuesday night's game. For the last two weeks, they looked lost, so racking up five goals on a team like Boston is a real confidence booster for this unit.
But now, they're taking it to the road with games against the Blue Jackets, the Seattle Kraken, and the Vancouver Canucks on the upcoming slate. Even on the road, these are all manageable games, especially against the Canucks, who may be on the verge of getting dismantled for a better chance at winning the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes.
Should the Wings take all three of these upcoming games, there's a good chance they will firmly put themselves in second place in the Atlantic Division. But they have been so stagnant this season, it's tough to know what they're going to do. Still, if they can make this consistency last, fans will have a lot to look forward to as they charge toward the middle of the month.