Fought hard and moral victories are two overused terms to describe a pro sports team when they lose. But they're fine in this context, as the Detroit Red Wings nearly let this game get out of hand before clawing back and even taking a brief lead in Thursday's loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
While two points are always ideal, the Wings still managed to escape Columbus with a loser point, and that's better than kicking off a road trip with nothing at all. At the 7:11 mark of the second period, it was tough to get behind the Wings and think they were going to rally when they went down 3-1.
But they ultimately tied the game in the second period at the 10:20 mark following scores from Lucas Raymond and James van Riemsdyk before heading into the third down by only a goal. Still, despite Adam Fantilli finding the net at the 13:50 mark of the second frame, you could feel the momentum shifting, and it did.
In the third, Patrick Kane scored his fourth goal of the year while Alex DeBrincat scored his 14th, and it looked like the Wings would skate away with a hard-fought win. But Fantilli dashed those hopes and sent the game into overtime, which eventually led to a shootout that ended in the Blue Jackets' favor.
Detroit Red Wings didn't kick off the road trip with a win, but a point is a point
It would be one thing if the Wings had control for the entire game and then blew it. But that wasn't the case. This turned into a back-and-forth effort between two teams fighting to stay relevant in the early playoff race, and they didn't disappoint.
For now, take the point, and it's not like it won't build momentum heading into this long road trip that will see the Wings playing a few West Coast teams. They could have let this game slip out of reach after going down by two goals, and it wasn't the case. That's what they needed to do on the first game of this road trip.
Patrick Kane sets a new NHL record despite the Red Wings' loss and first period woes
In the Red Wings' recent win over the Boston Bruins, Patrick Kane tied Mike Modano for the most multi-point games for an American-born player. Well, after his two-point outing on Thursday, Kane holds that record all to himself in what was his 359th career multi-point effort, and something says he's nowhere near finished just yet.
The Wings have been awful this season in the first period. Although they showed life with two goals in the first 20 minutes vs. the Boston Bruins, they reverted to their usual selves against Columbus. That first frame saw the Wings go down by a goal, and they landed just six shots on net.
If they want to make this road trip more manageable, they must play better hockey in the first period. So now, it's on to Seattle, whom the Wings upended earlier this season at home. If they can complete the season sweep, it could have serious implications in the Atlantic Division standings as midseason approaches.