The thing about losing is that it’s difficult to forget about it, to put it out of your mind, but if the Detroit Red Wings want to get anywhere this season, there’s one thing that they must make an immediate priority.
Stop thinking.
Unable to find the back of the net with the puck, it’s evident that the Wings are trying to be too fine with their work in the attacking zone when chances arrive and by doing so, they are thinking too much about making the perfect play when to be perfectly frank, what they need to do is just do it and stop thinking about it.
“I think again, if you’re confident and you feel better I think you’re on pucks a little quicker,… forward Thomas Vanek said. “You make plays that are there. Right now I think we see the plays but by the time we make it it’s already closed up. I think we over-think a little bit.…
You think?
Forward Andreas Athanasiou agreed that the Wings are trying too hard to score and that the best strategy they can employ is to simply stop pondering their plays and start making them.
“It’s always a tough situation when pucks aren’t going in,… Athanasiou said. “But when they’re not going in, you’ve just got to keep shooting the puck. Eventually they’ll start going in.
“If a shooter’s not scoring, most people will say keep shooting the puck and eventually it’ll find the back of the net.…
Sure it’s been ugly for the Wings of late. But if they want to get out of their funk, that’s exactly what they need, to get away from trying to be so pretty.
“Right now we’ve got to get those ugly goals, especially on the power play,… Vanek said. “Get two, three guys in front, shoot the puck and the nice ones will come after.…
It’s got to be about simplifying things, taking what’s there, and not about trying to create something that simply isn’t available.
“I think when goals aren’t going in sometimes you try to force plays, try to make something happen,… Athanasiou said. “I think in those situations when pucks aren’t going in, you’ve got to keep it simple and throw it to the net.…
Howard’s End The news on the lower-body injury suffered by Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard in Tuesday’s loss at Tampa Bay was not good. Detroit general manager Ken Holland reported that Howard would be “out for awhile.…
That’s just another blow to the team, considering you could make the case that Howard has been Detroit’s MVP this season.
“It’s tough,… Vanek said.… Jimmy’s been obviously great for us.…
At the same time, Vanek pointed to the injury-riddled Lightning and assessed that the Wings will just have to suck it up and play on.
“Look at their team,… Vanek said. “They have a ton of injuries, so it’s not something that we as a group in here can use as an excuse.…
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