Red Wings 1, Senators 5: Larkin Injury Overshadows Beleaguered Red Wings' Loss, Kane's First Goal with Detroit
The Red Wings lose 5-1 to the Ottawa Senators and, more saliently, lose Dylan Larkin to injury along the way
Detroit, MI—The Detroit Red Wings fell Saturday night 5-1 at the hands of the visiting Ottawa Senators in a game that felt as though it was over at least a period before the final horn sounded.
It wasn't so much the lopsided score that lent the third an academic air so much as the Red Wings' manpower disadvantage.
With J.T. Compher day-to-day battling an injury and Klim Kostin out sick, Detroit began the evening with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Then, more disturbingly, with a bit more than four minutes to play in the first period (and the home team already trailing 1-0 thanks to an early power play goal for Ottawa), Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin fell spread-eagled and unconscious to the ice after absorbing a cross-check to the back of the head from Mathieu Joseph then another to the face from Parker Kelly as he tumbled toward the ice.
In a haste to seek vengeance for his injured captain, David Perron delivered a furious cross-check to the face of Senators defenseman Artem Zub, who was in fact only a bystander to the incident.
After a prolonged delay, in which Larkin (who had fortunately regained consciousness and didn't need the stretcher that was brought out for him) was helped off the ice by Shayne Gostisbehere and Robby Fabbri, the officials determined that Kelly and Joseph each deserved a roughing minor, but Perron earned the lone major (a match penalty and ejection) for his retaliation.
"Obviously, we were very concerned, and that's a really tough look, seeing him passed out on the ice unconscious," said coach Derek Lalonde of the play, adding that he appreciated the officials communication with the bench over the course of the lengthy replay review.
With Larkin out injured and Perron ejected, the Red Wings had to proceed with just nine forwards at their disposal. However, when the game did resume, the short-term aftermath provided Detroit with an unlikely but temporary sense of relief.
On the four-on-three power play that emerged from the referees' ruling, Patrick Kane scored his first goal as a Red Wing. He received an Alex DeBrincat feed and sauntered down the right flank, proceeding with characteristic patience before deciding to fire.
His shot beat Joonas Korpisalo's glove to the near post, and Kane punched the air in celebration and let loose a cathartic shout, having just scored his first NHL goal since hip resurfacing surgery. That DeBrincat—a former Blackhawk line-mate whom Kane said played a major factor in choosing Detroit—provided the primary assist and was the first teammate on the scene to celebrate only felt appropriate.
Fueled by Kane's goal, the Red Wings killed off what remained of Perron's major when the time came to do so and made it to the locker roomfor the first intermission with the game tied at one.
However, a combination of penalties, poor puck management, and the inevitable fatigue of managing a numerical disadvantage contributed to the Senators building a 4-1 lead over the course of the second.
First, it was Vladimir Tarasenko on the power play at the 3:36 mark. Five minutes later, former Red Wing Dominik Kubalik (sent to Ottawa as part of the trade that brought DeBrincat to Detroit) made it 3-1. Finally, with just 1:04 to play in the second, Tim Stutzle all but ended the game by extending the Senators' lead to three goals.
At one point during the period, Fabbri needed to return to the dressing room after suffering a cut to his face, leaving Detroit temporarily down to just eight forwards until Fabbri returned with a full cage shield attached to his helmet.
The Red Wings delivered a valiant effort in the game's final stanza, but a three-goal comeback was never going to be feasible with just nine forwards left.
"I give those nine forwards credit, especially in the third, to keep competing," said Lalonde. "Obviously, we're down three goals, it's a very emotional situation, and they gave us looks." DeBrincat and Kane in particular seemed to be in the middle of whatever creativity Detroit could muster, but not even their combined efforts could pull their side back into the game.
Early in the period, Christian Fischer fought Joseph–delivering a short flurry of sound rights to the Ottawa winger.
"I think all 21 guys would have done the same thing in our room," said Fischer of his decision to do so after the game. "Obviously wanted to wait a second there. We have nine forwards. There was [sic] probably multiple opportunities to do that earlier but didn't want to go to down to seven forwards or eight...That's the captain of our team. Every guy in the locker room would stick up for him."
With 3:25 to play in the game, Jake Sanderson put an an end to whatever doubt might have remained as to the evening's outcome, scoring an empty-net goal from his own zone to make it 5-1.
Fischer, for his part, had no interest in offering the injury or ejection as an excuse for the outcome. "That's a hockey game," he said. "I don't think anybody in [our] room is gonna really take [the numerical disadvantage] as an answer or an easy blame."
However, by the end of the night, the evening's hockey game felt something of an afterthought compared to more long-term concerns.
Of course, Larkin's health is the first of those concerns. Lalonde did not have an update on his status after the game beyond the fact that he was being evaluated by the Red Wings' medical staff, but the frightening nature of the injury makes it difficult to believe he won't miss further action.
Then, there is the concern of a potential suspension to Perron for his blow to Zub, which could potentially cost Detroit another member of its top six and first power play.
Finally, there is reason for concern around goaltender Alex Lyon, who for the first time as a Red Wing appeared less than calm and comfortable in net. Lyon was lifted after two periods, having given up four goals on 25 shots, though Lalonde explained that it wasn't a case of pulling his goaltender so much as affording back-up James Reimer a smidge of game action (which he hadn't had since Detroit last played Ottawa in mid-November).
When you put it all together, it was a trying evening for the home fans and their team, and the upcoming schedule will not be offering any mercy. The Red Wings must now reckon with a road back-to-back against Dallas and St. Louis on Monday and Tuesday.
Regardless of which players are available for those two games, the trip will try Detroit's mettle, as the Red Wings (now 14-8-4) look to continue to battle to keep their heads above water in the Eastern Conference.
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