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Summary: If you’re a praying person, throw one Larkin’s way. The amount of evaluation being done could indicate multiple serious injuries. Perron’s retaliation was stupid and hurt the team. There was no reason for him to attack a player who was just standing there in a dangerous hit. That said, I do feel that Joseph should have had more than 2 minutes. It was a bad scene all around. Seider lost it at the end as well. No discipline and no one to settle the kids back down.
Ottawa had better goaltending, better energy and more grit to their game for sure. I’m not holding a whole team responsible for one person’s actions. Larkin almost lost his career to a neck injury last year, now he has neck and head injury issues. Based on how he was laying, his brain likely hit the side of his skull. The team may have to look at most of (if not all of) the season without the captain if there is any swelling or any cracked vertebrae. Scary stuff.
Past that, Joe Veleno is for now the top center for the team. That’s not good. Expect Berggren to likely get tapped. I do expect Perron to serve a few games. Compher is even more needed now. The team is losing players. Walman still doesn’t look quite right after his return. The team could go on a bad stretch without a boost to the lineup. Lyon didn’t have the game the needed (essentially needed a steal). The team fell apart after the Larkin injury and never found its footing. A rough night in Detroit all around.
First Period Detroit goals: Kane’s first as a Redwing
🎬 SHOWTIME. 🎬 pic.twitter.com/MK0iRhJ0zn
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 10, 2023
First Period:
Wings short handed 27 seconds in. Ottawa scores w 30 seconds left. 1-0 Ott
Detroit to power play at 4:28. Debrincat and Kane drew a penalty. 5 on 3. Unable to score.
Wings back on powerplay at 12:47. Larkin went down hard. Looks like he got hit in the neck and the face at the same time.
Perron gets 5, 2 Ottawa players get 2 each. No problem with Perron getting called, but Joseph should have 5 if not a misconduct. Will be 4 on 3 for Detroit for 57 seconds but several minutes after on power play for Ottawa due to Perron. I expect DP will get a few games for that one. It was as bad a hit as what Larkin took. Perron got a game misconduct as well.
With 5:11 left Kane gets his first as a Wing. 1-1. Of course Debrincat with an assist. Now 4 on 4 for 2 mins.
Wings kill remaining power play for OTT. 1 minute left. *Wings down to 8 forwards after losing Larkin, Fabbri and Perron
Score: 1-1 Shots: 14-11 DET
Second Period Detroit goals: No second period Detroit goals
Second Period:
Fabbri back, wearing a cage. Wings down to 9 forwards and 7 D. Depending on severity of Compher and Larkin, could be multiple call ups. I have to think Larkin is out for at least a couple weeks and Compher is on the mystery list.
Rasmussen to the box at 1:46 for highsticking. That looked like a bad call. Stick never touched the player’s face. With 11 seconds left Tarasenko scores. 2-1 OTT. Lyon should have had that save.
Wings have nothing going for them, down both Larkin and Compher Veleno is now the top center.
Ottawa back on the power play as Detroit missed on some good chances and Walman to the box for slashing. Wings kill it off.
Wings had some rotation going and Seider gave the puck away. It ended up leading to a Kubalik goal. 3-1 Ott. Detroit may already be out of this one.
Detroit gets a power play after Lyon gets run into. Wings need to get on the board and get things back under control. 11:15 left in the 2nd. Wings look awful and just gave the puck away again.
With 1:04 left Stutzle scores. 4-1 OTT. Detroit is just down too many men and in a whole they can’t get out of tonight. If Compher isn’t ready soon JV could be the #1 center with Berggren likely a callup. Not ideal.
Score: 4-1 OTT Shots: 25-22 OTT
Third Period Detroit goals: No third period goals for Detroit
Third Period: Reimer’s in. Fischer fought Joseph about 2 minutes in. The game is lost, but tempers need to be in check. Grand Rapids doesn’t have a ton of stand out talent and I don’t see Yzerman rushing to sign anyone unless they know for sure Larkin is out for a while.
Lalonde pulled the goal way early to try and get back and Ottawa seals it 5-1
Final Score: 5-1 Final Shots: 37-31 OTT