Detroit Red Wings Shocked By Tampa Bay Lighting 5-1
By Joe Chapp
In a borderline must win for Tampa Bay they came out ready and willing to make plays, while limiting the chances of Detroit.
The Detroit Red Wings didn’t play bad on the offensive end, it was more they couldn’t hit the net the Wings missed 33 of their shot attempts to the 18 that Tampa Bay missed.
Wayne Gretzky said the famous line “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” and while that’s true, you still have to hit the net.
Detroit missed the simple assignments, On the first goal the puck bounced off the boards and Tyler Johnson was there to scoop up the rebound, but lets look at it more in-depth.
Screenshot via NHL.COM
As you can see Tyler Johnson is given an easy opportunity, not only does he have another option to pass. He has a wide open shot and Johnathan Ericsson is screening Petr Mrazek.
There is zero doubt, unless Mrazek is super human it’d be unfair to label this goal strictly on Mrazek.
On the second goal (Pictured Below), where Kilhorn scored to make it 2-0, there was zero back check.
Screen Shot Via NHL.COM
Right here, you see four Red Wings trailing two Tampa Bay players, basically giving Tampa Bay a 2 on 0 on Mrazek. DeKeyser was way out of position, this was a microcosm of the Wings game today against Tampa Bay.
Too many missed assignments just on these two plays alone, but there’s more.
Screen Shot Via NHL.COM
On this play in particular, Sustr a defenseman is left wide open on one side of the ice while four Red Wings players are on one side. It leads to a goal to make it 3-0, and basically the back breaker in the game.
Once again, missed assignments galore.
Detroit couldn’t stop the bleeding as Tyler Johnson again would score and former Wings forward Valteri Filppula and that would be the final 5-1 Tampa Bay, but in light of the disastrous play by the Detroit Red Wings today there are some positives.
What To Take Away From Today’s game?
Detroit was good in the face off circle, winning 28 faceoffs. Even when you can get the puck to start a team like Detroit needs to possess the puck and make a fluid action of getting the puck cycled late in the game you could see it was happening more and more.
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You split one with one of the league’s best home teams, Tampa Bay in the regular season was the best team at home and are a middle of the pack team on the road.
Detroit stealing game one, was crucial going into game two it put the pressure on Tampa Bay to win the game or the series perhaps could’ve been over.
What Has To Be Better?
Defense, I don’t think I seen a game like today where every goal was a blown assignment and lazy play. In game one, Detroit was back checking they forced the Lighting to shoot from the outside and today it was the opposite that has to change.
Quotes
Babcock:
“Pete is starting next game for us.”
” you can’t make big mistakes in the playoffs.”
“I thought our goalie was real good game one. Theirs was good game two. Now we have a five game series with the Bolts.”
“I’ll be in my hot tub by 10 tonight and the sun is going to get up tomorrow and we’ll get a 5-game series against Tampa.”
Tatar:
“We just have to stay patient”
“We’re not worried about Bishop, we can score. Just have to get better.”
“We played solid, we just couldn’t get it going”
Zetterberg:
“2nd period was our best period, we’ll build on that”
“Was a little more physical”
“We can’t be in the box, some of the penalties were tough”
“We were better today than game one”
“We had some looks, if we got one goal different. Maybe a different game”
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