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MONTREAL — Their playoff aspirations at a critical point, the Detroit Red Wings did everything possible to keep it alive.
That they struggled to score Tuesday at Bell Centre had everything to do with the Montreal Canadiens' goaltender, Sam Montembeault, who masterfully kept the Wings at bay waiting for his teammates to show their mettle. So they eventually did, breaking a tie midway through the third period to hand the Wings a 4-1 loss.
That's put the Wings (36-34-7) in an unenviable position: They must get at least a point in their next game, Thursday at the Florida Panthers, to maintain even a flicker of hope to advancing. Tuesday's loss was costly, because it gave the Canadiens an eight-point lead over the Wings on the second wild card.
It was a tough ending to such an energetic start. Dylan Larkin gave the Wings a lead midway through the first period, but it was 1-1 going into the third, even as the shot disparity gorged at 32-11 in Detroit's favor. The Wings hustled and worked, but buoyed by their goal, the Habs grabbed momentum in the third period. Josh Anderson scored the go-ahead goal at 10:48, and considering the circumstances, the Wings left their net empty even after Brendan Gallagher scored with 1:06 to play, and that's how Nick Suzuki came to add to the damage at 19:08.
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Coming off a slow start at home in the previous game, the Wings looked much like a team that understood what's on the line Tuesday. Talbot had to make some big saves here and there as the first period drew on, but he wasn't nearly as busy as his counterpart, Montembeault, who dealt with a flurry of action around his net. Consider the edge in shots when the Wings went on a power play with 1:22 to play in the period: 22-5.
Patrick Kane continued to show what a stretch-run performer he is. Catching Moritz Seider's attempt to poke the puck out of Detroit's zone, Kane skated the puck up ice and cut towards the net, dragging the puck before unleashing a shot that arrived at the net just as Larkin got there for the tip-in. It was Kane's ninth point the last nine games, and his 35th assist of the season.
The Wings' power play was thwarted by the Canadiens diving into lanes and swinging sticks to poke away pucks, but avenged the frustration when the Habs went on back-to-back power plays near the midpoint of the second period. The Wings held them to one shot on the first one, and none on the second. It wasn't until there was 3:31 left in the second period that the Canadiens had a goal to cheer, when Cole Caufield lifted a backhand shot into Detroit's net to make it 1-1.
Contact Helene St. James at [email protected].
Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings score: Playoff odds take crushing blow vs Canadiens
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That they struggled to score Tuesday at Bell Centre had everything to do with the Montreal Canadiens' goaltender, Sam Montembeault, who masterfully kept the Wings at bay waiting for his teammates to show their mettle. So they eventually did, breaking a tie midway through the third period to hand the Wings a 4-1 loss.
That's put the Wings (36-34-7) in an unenviable position: They must get at least a point in their next game, Thursday at the Florida Panthers, to maintain even a flicker of hope to advancing. Tuesday's loss was costly, because it gave the Canadiens an eight-point lead over the Wings on the second wild card.
It was a tough ending to such an energetic start. Dylan Larkin gave the Wings a lead midway through the first period, but it was 1-1 going into the third, even as the shot disparity gorged at 32-11 in Detroit's favor. The Wings hustled and worked, but buoyed by their goal, the Habs grabbed momentum in the third period. Josh Anderson scored the go-ahead goal at 10:48, and considering the circumstances, the Wings left their net empty even after Brendan Gallagher scored with 1:06 to play, and that's how Nick Suzuki came to add to the damage at 19:08.
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A THEME SONG: How Red Wings came to embrace Pearl Jam thanks to a plane ride and a card game
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Coming off a slow start at home in the previous game, the Wings looked much like a team that understood what's on the line Tuesday. Talbot had to make some big saves here and there as the first period drew on, but he wasn't nearly as busy as his counterpart, Montembeault, who dealt with a flurry of action around his net. Consider the edge in shots when the Wings went on a power play with 1:22 to play in the period: 22-5.
Rewarded
Patrick Kane continued to show what a stretch-run performer he is. Catching Moritz Seider's attempt to poke the puck out of Detroit's zone, Kane skated the puck up ice and cut towards the net, dragging the puck before unleashing a shot that arrived at the net just as Larkin got there for the tip-in. It was Kane's ninth point the last nine games, and his 35th assist of the season.
Habs break through
The Wings' power play was thwarted by the Canadiens diving into lanes and swinging sticks to poke away pucks, but avenged the frustration when the Habs went on back-to-back power plays near the midpoint of the second period. The Wings held them to one shot on the first one, and none on the second. It wasn't until there was 3:31 left in the second period that the Canadiens had a goal to cheer, when Cole Caufield lifted a backhand shot into Detroit's net to make it 1-1.
Contact Helene St. James at [email protected].
Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings score: Playoff odds take crushing blow vs Canadiens
Continue reading...
