Saves from Ned and a trio from Larkin help Wings get past Leafs (Red Wings)

Red Wings

Saves from Ned and a trio from Larkin help Wings get past Leafs

By Jeremy Laura

Apr 2, 2023 • 11:52 pm

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I’m going to start this with the ending. Seeing Perron basically guard the puck so Larkin could have the hat trick was a big sign to me about respect that the Captain has garnered in the room. That’s a team first move, and a move tonight that helped Larkin get over 30 on the season to 31. And all that in front of family in one of the best places in the NHL to play a game.

It’s impossible to ignore that, just like Ned did in his last start, he helped give his team a win. Toronto outshot Detroit 45 to 24, the Leafs dominated dot at 64.4% and were the more physical team in terms of hits. If I were sitting next to a Leafs fan that felt a little disenfranchised, I’d understand. Don’t get me wrong, a win is always welcome. The Winnipeg game was brutal, and this will bring a lot of smiles to that room.

All that said, Berggren’s goal was probably my favorite. He does a 180 degree turn, grabs the puck from the opposition, spins 180 degrees again and makes a long range shot that rang like a church bell. It was one of those moments where something special came from a guy that has made the most of a season that had him unexpectedly suit up for Detroit due to opportunity from injuries.

Maatta’s goal may have been the most important. Grabs the puck at his own blue line off of a Leaf’s entry and powers down the ice for the first of 4 long range shots (the empty net being the longest obviously). It was just an unexpected jump start 90 seconds in.

Again, I’ll emphasize, Toronto outplayed Detroit in many situations. Without some important stops (and plenty of shots came on net) this could have been a repeat of Winnipeg. Instead, it was a feel good win after a brutal loss. Ned looks like he hit a bit of a reset button. Big night for him and it earned the top star.

Marco Casper had some good moments. What really stood out for me was his attention to tying up sticks in front of the net and his physicality. He doesn’t mind getting into the muck a bit. Lots to work on, but at 18 he donned the Winged Wheel. That’s not something we’ve seen. Larkin and Raymond came in around 19, and Seider probably would have if not for the uncertainty of the times in his second season.

I hope several of you got to enjoy the game. I will give a quick “heads up…. Tomorrow is a shareholder’s call for Disney. If you missed it, Bally Sports did file ch. 11 on 3/14 and had their first day in court on the 30th (citing 8 billion in debt). Disney spun ESPN into a seperate branch of the company as one of 3 tiers. The company announced that there will be 7000 jobs cut this year (though 3k are really just open positions that were eliminated). Streaming service lost around 5 billion last year and up to around 100B in the lost revenue for 2022. All this was already known before some more current investment issues. We will not know if there will be any real noticeable changes on the broadcast side, but ESPN is said to be targeted for some of the job cuts. ABC had several layoffs this past week, Marvel consolidated and fired 2 top execs. It’s impossible to know what will be announced. It will trickle out to the public throughout the week. Having 2 major broadcasting partners under the microscope isn’t a great feeling, but Iger has insisted the ESPN is a “differentiator… for the house of mouse.

Just soak this one in and enjoy it. We’re in the home stretch and decisions about this roster are likely already being made for next season. We’ll see what Yzerman does at the draft and in free agency soon enough.

First Period Detroit goals:

90 second in, Maatta broke up a blue line play by the leafs and skated the puck down to the O zone letting a long shot go to get the Wings on the board (unassisted). 1-0 DET

Jarnkrok ties it up at 7:33. 1-1

Berggren was at center ice as Hagg made a pass from the around the right side lower face off dot in the Wing’s zone. It looked like an intercept by Toronto but Berggren spun 180, grabbed the puck, spun another 180 and skated in for another fairly long distance shot. Raymond with the 2nd assist. 2-1 DET

Larkin got his 74th point and 29th goal (career high in points) as he got the puck from Kubalik, skated toward the net then shot from the top of the left faceoff circle. Another long range goal for Detroit. Maatta with 2nd assist. 3-1 DET

Shots: 15-10 TOR Score: 3-1 DET

Second Period Detroit goals:

No goals in the second. Still 3-1 DET

Shots: 28-17 TOR Score: 3-1 DET

Third Period Detroit goals:

6 minutes in Tavares got the Leafs within 1. 3-2 DET

At 10:16 Larkin hit the 30 goal Mark as he got a stick on a rebound off a shot from Chiarot standing net front. Seider with 2nd assist.

After a failed attempt to clear and a shot on net by the Leafs, Walkman got the puck to Larkin at the halfway and he sent it all the way down for an empty net and a hat trick. Perron guarded the puck to make sure it would give the Captain his 31st of the season. 5-2 DET

Shots: 45-24 TOR Score: 5-2 DET

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