The Red Wings deliver their most prolific offensive performance since November 2017 to put further distance between themselves and their wild card challengers
The Red Wings deliver their most prolific offensive performance since November 2017 to put further distance between themselves and their wild card challengers
On Tuesday night, the Detroit Red Wings erupted for an 8-3 victory over the visiting Washington Capitals. It was the team's most goals since November 2017, and it came from seven different scorers. It established the team's first six-game winning streak since Steve Yzerman returned as the team's general manager in 2019. It was all the sweeter because it came against a direct rival in the chase for the wild card spots in the Eastern Conference.
From puck drop, Detroit played purposeful, aggressive hockey—hunting pucks and winning them to pin the Capitals in their own end for what felt like the entirety of the first period. "I just—I liked the energy," said Derek Lalonde of his team's start. "We got rewarded with some offense tonight, but if we would've came out of that period even 0-0, you would just like the energy we had and the jump we had."
Over the course of the evening, even more impressive than the sheer volume of offense was the way the Red Wings refused to be deterred by the few minor setbacks that did arise.
In the first, Robby Fabbri appeared to make the game 2-0 only for the goal to be waved off (correctly) for a hand pass. Minutes later, Lucas Raymond scored to make it 2-0 anyway.
Early in the second, Hendrix Lapierre took advantage of a fortunate bounce in the offensive zone to cut that lead to 2-1 against the run of play. Two minutes and 35 seconds later, Joe Veleno scored a beautiful goal to answer—showing poise and patience to cut into the slot before unleashing a glorious wrist shot.
When Washington appeared to be riding its first meaningful momentum of the game late in the second with the score at 4-2, Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher combined for a short-handed goal with 13 seconds left in the period to ensure the game remained out of the visitors' reach.
"We've been playing really good," explained Veleno. "We've been pretty consistent in our game. Even when they have these little sparks in the offensive zone, and they're humming around I think we do a good job of staying composed, playing really well structurally defensively, and we know we're a skilled team. We know we can score goals. We just gotta stay patient with it."
Detroit is a confident team, and it's a confidence they've earned. The combination of the structure, composure, and skill Veleno described has manifested in a 16-4-2 since the calendar turned over to 2024, so why wouldn't this team be confident that with patience the goals and wins will come?
If there was any doubt it was the Red Wings' night to savor, it was alleviated when Shayne Gostisbehere dove to disrupt a would-be Michael Sgarbossa breakaway as the Capitals forward stepped out of the penalty box, which segued straight into Gostisbehere scoring his second goal of the evening off a give-and-go with Raymond.
"It's kind of an 'oh s***' moment because it's my fault they have that chance, so I just did whatever I could to get back, and thankfully he didn't make the best play pass-wise," he said sheepishly after the game. "Thankfully I got a stick on it, because it's ultimately my fault they got that opportunity. Just like anyone would, just trying to make a play out there." Tuesday, even Detroit's blunders found their way into the Capitals' net.
But while the offensive onslaught and crooked scoreline did not exactly evoke playoff hockey, the Red Wings effort and sacrifice in the defensive zone did. Moritz Seider blocked five shots by night's end, including one on an Alex Ovechkin power play blast. With the game at 8-3 in the third period, Christian Fischer refused to allow the blowout to diminish his willingness to get in front of the puck.
"That's one of the first things I addressed the guys with," noted Lalonde. "Winning can look like many different things...Those guys eating those shots, you hope it becomes a culture and a habit. Good on Mo and obviously Fish eating a puck in an 8-3 win late in the game there I think speaks a lot about him and the group."
So even if Tuesday night didn't feel quite like a playoff game because of how easily offense came, the two points in the standings and the way the Red Wings finished put them one step closer to moving past "playoff-like" atmospheres and into the real thing. And that's something Detroit—its team and its fans—is ready to embrace.
"I love playing in these kinds of games," said Veleno, when asked about the urgency inspired by playing a rival for a playoff spot. "I love playing in big moments and just a whole lot of fun. I think anyone can tell you that on our team when we're in this position. We're hot, we're climbing, and I think it's really fun to be a part of."
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