WINGS POSTGAME: Flying high over the Jets
4 years ago
Playing the second game of a home-and-home against the Winnipeg Jets, Detroit came into the match up desperate to break their 12 game winless streak and redeem themselves from the 5-1 loss on Tuesday in Winnipeg. One of the most productive first periods of the season and 3 point nights for Fabbri, Hronek, and Zadina carried the Wings to their 8th win of the season and inserted some much needed confidence into the dressing room with a 5-2 victory.
Thoughts and Highlights
- The Wings opened the game with a competitive start and were rewarded early from a breakaway goal by Darren Helm (no joke!) at 7:49, his 5th of the season and first in 22.
- On the power play, Robby Fabbri’s pass attempt bounces off Pionk and into the net, giving the Wings a rare but nice 2 goal lead midway through the first.
- Detroit had one of their better starts of this season, out shooting the Jets 14-5 and generating a lot of high danger chances. Filip Zadina also had a great period with multiple shots and ultimately earning an assist on the Fabbri goal.
- Building off their encouraging start, Detroit gets their first 3 goal lead of the season thanks to another deflection and another goal by Fabbri. How was this trade one-for-one again?
- But it’s not long after that when Kyle Connor, the Michigan native, gets 2 goals in the second to propel his team back into the game.
- After spending much time on I-96 this season, Filip Zadina gets his first and much deserved first goal of the season and it’s a beauty. The Wings can take a breath going into the second intermission up 4-2.
- Detroit kept the Jets at bay throughout the third, even killing off their only man advantage without letting Winnipeg register a shot on goal. Filip Hronek sends a missile down the ice for the empty netter, his third point of the night, confirming the losing streak will end at 12.
- While being a bad hockey team is good for Detroit in the long term of things, wins are still important for confidence and development, and it was refreshing to see this team show life and not collapse after the second.
Gif of the Game
When the losing streak finally gets snapped and the Wings are the team scoring 5 goals for a change.
Motor City MVP
Netting his 6th point in 8 games, tonight was Zadina’s most productive game of his NHL career with a goal and two assists. Zadina’s forechecking has really improved this season, he’s been positioned better, and has his stick in the appropriate lanes at times – all signs trending towards his development into a full time NHL player. While Hronek and Fabbri also had huge nights, this game was important for Zadina’s moral, hopefully fueling him to keep the goals coming.
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