After absorbing pressure for most of the night, the Red Wings fall pointless in a 2-1 loss in Ottawa, stunned late by Josh Norris' second goal of the night
After absorbing pressure for most of the night, the Red Wings fall pointless in a 2-1 loss in Ottawa, stunned late by Josh Norris' second goal of the night
On Thursday night in Ottawa, the Detroit Red Wings lost their fourth straight game, falling 2-1 to the Senators thanks to a late stunner from Josh Norris, who put the home team ahead with just 43 seconds to play.
Despite the tied score late into the third period, it's not hard to argue that the Red Wings deserved the outcome they wound up with, yet there was something cruel in dropping both available points to a direct division and wildcard rival in the closing minute of Detroit's best period of the night.
For long stretches Thursday, Ottawa's forecheck flummoxed the visiting Red Wings. Detroit found the task of breaking out cleanly a herculean one, and on the occasions when the Red Wings could exit their defensive zone, the effort it took to achieve that feat lent the ensuing rush a frantic feeling. Through two periods, the Sens led 1-0 thanks to a first period goal from Norris, and their commanding 27-12 advantage in shots (13-4 in the second alone) painted a clear and accurate picture of the game's flow.
Detroit would tie the game six minutes and 15 seconds into the third, on a four-on-three power play. Simon Edvinsson used his tremendous reach to poke a loose puck to Vladimir Tarasenko, keeping possession for the Red Wings in the offensive zone. Tarasenko initiated a glorious passing sequence on to J.T. Compher and then Alex DeBrincat at the back door. The Ottawa crowd—dissatisfied after his defection to his home state after a season as a Senator in 2022-23—likes to boo the Red Wings diminutive sniper, but this time, the puck was on and off DeBrincat's tape too quick for the choir of boo birds to sing until the puck had struck the back of the net.
It appeared the game was destined for overtime, but instead Norris delighted the home crowd and numbed the visiting Red Wings with his last minute goal. Late in a shift, Detroit's top line (which had been its best over the course of the evening) turned the puck over high in the offensive zone. Against beleaguered competition, Ottawa had far too easy a time converting that turnover into offense, and Norris skated encumbered into the slot where he wired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Ville Husso for the game-winning goal.
There were bright spots for the Red Wings. The penalty kill—in desperate need of something positive to build on—went five for five. Husso looked steady in net, making 30 saves on 32 shots. For most of the night, Detroit's top line was dangerous. But in the end, those positives weren't enough to outweigh the Red Wings' struggles exiting the zone and lack of five-on-five offense.
On a night on which at least one point appeared well within reach, Detroit instead falls to 10-12-4, now second to last in the Eastern Conference. The Red Wings will have a chance to snap their losing skid Saturday night, when the Colorado Avalanche pay a visit to Little Caesars Arena.
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