- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 441,100
- Reaction score
- 44
TAMPA, Fla. — The Detroit Red Wings showed fight, overcoming a deflating start and getting a big goal from a rookie when they most needed it. Two of them, in fact.
Marco Kasper fanned the Wings' hopes of a playoff berth when he scored in overtime Friday at Amalie Arena, settling the winning score against the Tampa Bay Lightning at 4-3.
It was the second goal and third point of the game for the rookie. The two points in the standings for the Red Wings puts them at 37-35-7, tying the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers with 81 points. With the Montreal Canadiens losing, they stayed at 87 points. The Wings can be eliminated if the Canadiens win Saturday when they play at the Toronto Maple Leafs.
But for at least a night, the Wings stayed alive.
IT'S PERSONAL: Todd McLellan challenges Detroit Red Wings: 'Individual reputations are on the line'
Alex Lyon recovered from giving up an early goal to give his teammates a chance, and goals from Patrick Kane and Tyler Motte even had the Wings playing with a lead for a bit. But a number of defensive lapses left the Wings chasing the game after Gage Goncalves took advantage of being left open to make it 3-2 early in the third period.
There was seven minutes to play when Marco Kasper added a goal, clanking one in behind goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to tie the game. Kasper scored again on a snap shot at 3:20 of overtime.
The Wings went back to having Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat on a line with Kasper, which enabled reuniting Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin. (Craig Smith started with the line, as Elmer Söderblom was unavailable.) The bigger changes were on the back end, where Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson were paired up for the first time since Todd McLellan separated the two about a week after being named coach. Ben Chiarot and Albert Johansson formed the second pairing, and William Lagesson entered the lineup for Jeff Petry to play opposite Justin Holl on the third pair.
Petr Mrazek was the backup for a second straight night, so he has been available after missing a stretch following an injury incurred March 24 at Utah. But it was Lyon who was tasked with taking on the Lightning behind teammates tired from playing the night before. It couldn't have started much worse: Brandon Hagel played the puck ahead to Anthony Cirelli, who got in behind Edvinsson, Seider and Smith, and scored on Tampa's first shot on net, a minute into the game.
Kane added his 21st goal of the season to make it 1-1 at 6:07 of the second period. Credit Smith for doing the dirty work in winning a battle along the boards and getting the puck to Kasper, who drove to the net and made a nice little feed for Kane to finish. Motte scored an opportunistic go-ahead goal when he poked the puck beneath Vasilevskiy at 16:37, but Goncalves made it 2-2 about a minute later.
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 strike in OT to keep playoff hopes going vs. Bolts
Continue reading...
Marco Kasper fanned the Wings' hopes of a playoff berth when he scored in overtime Friday at Amalie Arena, settling the winning score against the Tampa Bay Lightning at 4-3.
It was the second goal and third point of the game for the rookie. The two points in the standings for the Red Wings puts them at 37-35-7, tying the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers with 81 points. With the Montreal Canadiens losing, they stayed at 87 points. The Wings can be eliminated if the Canadiens win Saturday when they play at the Toronto Maple Leafs.
But for at least a night, the Wings stayed alive.
You must be registered for see images attach
IT'S PERSONAL: Todd McLellan challenges Detroit Red Wings: 'Individual reputations are on the line'
Alex Lyon recovered from giving up an early goal to give his teammates a chance, and goals from Patrick Kane and Tyler Motte even had the Wings playing with a lead for a bit. But a number of defensive lapses left the Wings chasing the game after Gage Goncalves took advantage of being left open to make it 3-2 early in the third period.
There was seven minutes to play when Marco Kasper added a goal, clanking one in behind goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to tie the game. Kasper scored again on a snap shot at 3:20 of overtime.
Different looks
You must be registered for see images
The Wings went back to having Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat on a line with Kasper, which enabled reuniting Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin. (Craig Smith started with the line, as Elmer Söderblom was unavailable.) The bigger changes were on the back end, where Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson were paired up for the first time since Todd McLellan separated the two about a week after being named coach. Ben Chiarot and Albert Johansson formed the second pairing, and William Lagesson entered the lineup for Jeff Petry to play opposite Justin Holl on the third pair.
Lyon's task
Petr Mrazek was the backup for a second straight night, so he has been available after missing a stretch following an injury incurred March 24 at Utah. But it was Lyon who was tasked with taking on the Lightning behind teammates tired from playing the night before. It couldn't have started much worse: Brandon Hagel played the puck ahead to Anthony Cirelli, who got in behind Edvinsson, Seider and Smith, and scored on Tampa's first shot on net, a minute into the game.
Even second
Kane added his 21st goal of the season to make it 1-1 at 6:07 of the second period. Credit Smith for doing the dirty work in winning a battle along the boards and getting the puck to Kasper, who drove to the net and made a nice little feed for Kane to finish. Motte scored an opportunistic go-ahead goal when he poked the puck beneath Vasilevskiy at 16:37, but Goncalves made it 2-2 about a minute later.
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 strike in OT to keep playoff hopes going vs. Bolts
Continue reading...
