@Alex Nedeljkovic played his best game in over a month, but it wasn’t enough to help his Detroit Red Wings avoid a 3–1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.
Nedeljkovic had failed to record a save percentage north of .900 in his previous four outings, including two consecutive outings where he allowed a total of 12 goals on just 49 shots. He entered the game in Tampa with his save percentage down to a lackluster .903 through 38 appearances in 2021–22.
The 26-year-old goaltender stopped 35 of the 37 shots he faced at Amalie Arena and helped the Red Wings enter the final 10 minutes of regulation time locked in a 1–1 tie with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.
Unfortunately for Nedeljkovic and Co., Bolts defenseman @Mikhail Sergachev was able to give his team a 2–1 lead in the dying seconds of a power play just past the midway mark of the middle frame. @Victor Hedman and @Ross Colton picked up the helpers on Sergachev’s fourth goal of the season.
Sergy absolutely SENT it. pic.twitter.com/ry20vPSul5
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 5, 2022
All three of Tampa’s goals on Friday came with the extra man. Detroit struggled mightily on special teams in the contest, going 0-for-2 on the power play but allowing three goals in the four times they played shorthanded.
@Brayden Point and @Steven Stamkos also scored for Tampa, which improved to 36–12–6 with the victory. Outshot 38–23 in the game, Detroit fell to 24–25–6 on the year. Lightning goaltender @Brian Elliott only had to make 22 saves for his sixth victory of the season.
The Red Wings’ only goal of Friday’s game came off the stick of @Robby Fabbri, albeit with a little help from Elliott. The 36-year-old netminder misplayed a long-range shot from @Moritz Seider, with the puck trickling through him before landing in the crease for Fabbri to deposit.
COUNT IT! pic.twitter.com/Ehq3yiadTh
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 5, 2022
Seider, 20, extended his personal point-scoring streak to eight games with the primary assist on Fabbri’s goal. He’s one of just four rookie defensemen in National Hockey League history to achieve that feat.
On a related note, Red Wings captain @Dylan Larkin saw his own point streak end at 10 games after Friday’s loss. The 25-year-old center remains atop the team’s scoring leaderboard with 27 goals and 56 points in 50 contests.
@Carter Rowney exited Friday’s game after taking a Hedman shot to his shin. During the third period of the game, the Red Wings announced that Rowney had suffered a lower-body injury and would not return.
The Red Wings will wrap up their two-game Florida road trip with a stop in Sunrise when they take on the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Puck-drop on that one will go exclusively on Hulu at 7:00 p.m. ET.
More from WingsNation
- Seider extends point streak to eight games with assist on Fabbri goal
- Rowney leaves game against Lightning with lower-body injury
- Dylan Larkin enters Friday’s action riding a 10-game point streak
WINGS GAME RECAP BROUGHT TO YOU BY DAILY FACEOFF
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