WINGS POST-GAME: Larkin’s Point Streak Ends in 5-3 Loss To Flames
By Nick Seguin
5 years agoA new year is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start. Starting 2019 on a five game losing skid, the Red Wings needed to get the year started on the right foot. Unfortunately, they could not do that. The Wings had a lot of bad habits in 2018 and it seems as though they have continued into the new year. Despite having a 2-0 lead after the first period, they dropped tonight’s game by a score of 4-3 to the Calgary Flames.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
- Darren Helm made his return after a long injury and found the score sheet in more ways than one. He scored the Wings first goal of the night on a beautiful play in the slot. Who knew that Helm had those hands?! He also had three shots and four penalty minutes.
- Jacob De La Rose scored his 3rd of the season when Michael Rasmussen created chaos in front of the net and banged it off De La Rose’s shin and into the net. It was a dirty goal, but the Wings don’t get many of those, so they’ll take it.
- Johnny Gaudreau served as the Red Wings killer as he was a contributing factor on all four of the Flames goals (1 G, 3 A).
- Andreas Athanasiou scored on a penalty shot after being hooked on his breakaway.
- The Red Wings served 10 penalty minutes over the course of this game. Five minor penalties. The Flames scored on two of them.
- The Wings took more than 31 shots for only the 13th time this season. They recorded a total of 32 shots.
- Dylan Larkin’s 14 game point streak came to an end as he failed to record a goal or an assist. The point streak was the longest active streak in the NHL, the longest of his career, and the second longest in Red Wings franchise history by a player under 23 years old (Steve Yzerman has the longest).
FINAL THOUGHT
No lead is safe for the Red Wings. They’ve now given up the lead in four of their last five games. Between their tendency to take penalties and their third period complacency, it’s hard to imagine them making any kind of run for a playoff spot. This six game losing skid is now the second longest of their season and they are dangerously close to losing seven games in a row twice in the same season.
It’s not a winning recipe. Keep shooting the puck, but stay out of the box. Also, upgrade the defense. These pairings are a mess.
Recent articles from Nick Seguin
