The night had a familiar ring to it, and the game a similar outcome.
Another evening where the Detroit Red Wings couldn’t score, where Detroit’s power play was again powerless and the end result was well-known to Detroit fans - another resounding setback handed to their heroes.
A 4-1 loss at Tampa Bay Tuesday to the Lightning offered all the elements that are becoming regular parts of Red Wings hockey, and that combination left a very bitter taste in many mouths.
“I think the best players on this team have to be better,… Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “Leaders have to get the guys ready more. We win one game, we score six goals and we come in and we score no goals.
“We have to be more consistent. That’s on us here.…
Well, they did score once to be factual, but Anthony Mantha’s tally with 11 seconds to play was inconsequential from a Detroit point of view.
Detroit coach Jeff Blashill questioned his team’s compete level.
“I didn’t think it was good enough across the board,… Blashill said. “I thought some guys did and some guys didn’t compete hard enough.…
It’s evident that frustration is mounting in the Red Wings camp with just three wins in 14 games but Blashill didn’t see the point of being frustrated. In fact, he viewed it as counterproductive and possibly even corrosive.
“Frustration usually means you’re pointing fingers at other people,… Blashill said. “We have no time to point fingers at anybody. We’d better look in the mirror and say, how can I be better to a man, including myself right through.
“We’ve got to own it. We’ve got to find ways, solutions, not point fingers and blame and have frustration. It does no good at all.…
Power Outage Detroit’s impotent power play, an issue throughout this skid, again was missing in action on Tuesday.
The Wings went 0-for-6 with the man advantage while the Lightning scored a pair of power-play goals.
“I don’t know if we’re just pressing too much,… forward Thomas Vanek said. “I think everyone wants to score. I thought Nyquie (Gus Nyquist) had a couple of good looks. Myself on the first power play, it’s a pass I should make to Sprouly (Ryan Sproul) and I think he taps it in, so it’s a little bit of everything.
“I think everyone’s trying too hard or wants to score that power-play goal too bad. We just need to simplify. I think Fransy’s (Frans Nielsen) doing a good job of winning the faceoffs. I think once we win it we’ve just got to attack it and just get that ugly goal.…
Howard Injured Just recently back from a groin injury, Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard left the game with an undisclosed injury after Detroit defenseman Nick Jensen, making his NHL debut, got tangled up with Tampa Bay forward Erik Condra and accidentally spilled into Howard.
“He’s not going to be available Friday,… Blashill said of Howard. “I don’t have anything further than that, but he definitely won’t be available Friday.…
Jared Coreau will be recalled from AHL Grand Rapids.
Jensen, naturally, was distraught that he’d caused the injury.
“I take complete blame on that one,… Jensen said. “The guy I stepped on at the red line (Condra) got by me and created a three-on-two, and I hustled back trying to get to the front of the net. “I saw they got a shot and kind of panicked, and tried to tie the guy up. I got hooked up around him and I ran Jimmy. I’m not really sure what happened.
“I said ‘I’m sorry, it’s completely my fault.’ But it’s hockey.…
Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer