‘We Don’t Want our Season to End Yet’: A Canadiens-Red Wings Game Day Notebook
Ahead of the Detroit Red Wings playing the Montreal Canadiens, here are notes on the Red Wings' playoff hopes, lineup changes, desire to win for Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson's excellence
Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports - ‘We Don’t Want our Season to End Yet’: A Canadiens-Red Wings Game Day NotebookNote: This article was updated to correct the usage of a Derek Lalonde quote about Lucas Raymond
Before this season, the Detroit Red Wings set a goal: play meaningful games as late into the season as possible.Consider that goal met. The Red Wings are staring down a wild card spot if they win their next two games and Washington loses one.
“Doesn't get any later than 81,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said Monday. “So these are heavy games, but it's not only the games being heavy — it’s how you handle those emotions”
In this week of prologue to the potential postseason, the Red Wings have been met with plenty of heavy moments. They mounted a two-goal comeback against Pittsburgh to earn an overtime point, and just last game they won in overtime — in Toronto — to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Even inside of those games, crucial penalty kills and overtime frames have battle-tested Detroit’s emotional control. In the waning minutes of their game against the Maple Leafs, the Red Wings faced a penalty kill after letting in two power play goals earlier in the game. The season came down to this moment, with all eyes on them, and yet they successfully killed it off. Then, just a few minutes later, their own overtime power play ended in a Dylan Larkin goal that saved the season for at least another game. There’s a whole lot of meaning to these games, and clutch moments such as those rise to the occasion.
Now, the stakes are only going to be higher these next two games against Montreal. The Red Wings need to win both halves of the season-ending home-and-home to have a shot at the playoffs, while Washington needs to either lose to Boston tonight or Philadelphia tomorrow.
“You want meaning to every single game, meaning for anything you do in life,” Detroit forward David Perron said Monday. “You want to have a reason to do it, and we have one right now.”
With that meaning comes pressure to perform, as the magnitude of these final games cannot be overstated. But this is what Detroit has played all season for — from the day it set season goals to today’s morning skate. Now, the Red WIngs just have to finish it. Added forward Alex DeBrincat, “To stay in it till the very last day is fun, but it’s gonna be a lot less fun if we don’t get it done. So we gotta make sure we get it done, and we don’t want our season to end yet.”
The Lineup
Forget about Bubble Bedard, it’s time for Full-Cage Copp. Well, it might be, if he’s able to play tonight. Lalonde said that Copp will be a game-time decision tonight after warmups as he continues to recover from a broken cheekbone suffered against Washington. He wore a full-cage reminiscent of his college days during morning skate, protecting the area that still has some swelling issues according to Lalonde.
If Copp can go, the lines will shuffle a bit, but if he can’t Detroit plans to skate out the same lineup it played against the Maple Leafs. The only major change will be in net, where Alex Lyon will take the reins after a reset. Lalonde noted that he would reevaluate tomorrow for the back half of the home-and-home.
For Montreal, the lineup will see a big boost from the rookie debut of Lane Hutson, who signed his ELC this weekend after two years with Boston University. His offensive impact from the blue line should be impactful for the Canadiens, especially with his shifty and quick skating.
Elsewhere, up-and-coming Montreal has long been eliminated from the playoffs, but they’ve sparked some momentum to end the season. They’re 5-4-2 the past 11 games, including wins over Stanley Cup-contending Colorado and Florida.
“They’re a very, very talented team. They’re very assertive and aggressive offensively,” Lalonde said. “They’ve scored a lot of goals of late, they have guys that can make plays. If (we’re) gonna give them easy offense, it'll be long for us.”
Hutson’s entry to the lineup will shake things up, but the Canadiens’ lineup looked like this in their last game:
Veterans Looking to get Red Wings Captain Back to Playoffs
When Dylan Larkin made the playoffs as a rookie, little did he know he’d go seven years without another shot. Despite being the heartbeat of this Red Wings team since then, and despite becoming a reliable two-way 1C who they can depend on, the pieces just haven’t lined up, or the results just haven’t come, to get him to the postseason.
David Perron wants to change that.
“I think us older guys, all that stuff — that’s something we want for him, I think more than almost every player,” Perron said. “He's been through the whole thing. I don’t share the pain that maybe Larks and the fans have all shared over the last (however) many years, (but) we have to find a way to come through for them and for Larks.”
It’s been 580 games since Larkin played in the playoffs — the Red Wings’ 4-1 gentleman’s sweep loss against Tampa Bay back in 2016. The ensuing years of the rebuild have meant a lot of growth and sacrifice from Larkin, but now this team is close to getting him the postseason he deserves. There are stars who never win a Cup, and some that barely make the playoffs. The Red Wings’ veterans — many of whom chose to play with Detroit and Larkin through free agency — want to make sure he gets another shot.
Simon Edvinsson Excelling in Defensive Play
Simon Edvinsson’s call-up was a long time coming this season, but it’s had an extraordinary impact. The 6-foot-4 rookie defenseman has become a staple of the second defense pairing, playing so well that former first-pairing defenseman Jake Walman has become a healthy scratch, meanwhile Edvinsson’s minutes have only grown over time.
Meanwhile, Edvinsson has led his team in blocked shots the past three games, with 14 overall and seven Saturday against Toronto. He also found a way for his offense to translate, scoring a goal against the Maple Leafs.
Edvinsson’s game is still developing — Detroit probably wants to see more offensive play from him further down the line. But he’s providing a spark of energy at a key moment in the season.
“Sometimes these young guys come in and they have so much energy and so much fire towards the end of the year,” forward Patrick Kane said. “He might even be a step above some of the guys that are worn down and tired toward the end of the year.”
It makes Kane reminisce.
“I remember (Jonathan) Drouin came in in the playoffs for Tampa when we played them in 2015, and he was just flying around,” Kane remembered. “So I think you got a young guy with a lot of energy that’s trying to prove himself and obviously trying to make his way to the league, too, but he’s been playing great for us — especially at this important time.”
Where to Watch
Tonight’s game starts at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit Extra, as well as Channel 20 locally in Detroit. ESPN+ and Hulu will also stream the game.
Scoreboard Watch
Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.
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