The way to beat the Detroit Red Wings in regulation time is simple – simply don’t let them score. The Wings lost in regulation for just the second time in six games and both setbacks have come via the shutout.
Tuesday, Jonathan Quick blocked 20 shots as the Los Angeles Kings blanked the Wings 1-0 at the Staples Center. Eight days earlier at Joe Louis Arena, the Wings were shutout 2-0 by the Montreal Canadiens.
The Wings struggled to find time and space against the big, strong Kings, the defending Stanley Cup champions.
“They’re a good team,… Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. “They’re big, they’re strong, they’re a forecheck team. They can wear you out in your own zone.
“Their goaltender is a star. (Drew) Doughty is as good a D-man as there is in hockey. They have good depth up front. They can score, they can play.…
Coming off a 4-3 shootout loss Monday at Anaheim, Detroit left-winger Justin Abdelkader felt the Kings did an effective job of wearing on the weary Wings. “It’s kind of what you expect when you play a team like L.A., a defensive team, a big team,… Abdelkader said. “They make it hard on you in the corners, on the walls and they want to be physical.…
Monster Shines Making his first start since he suffered a separated shoulder Nov. 5, Jonas Gustavsson blocked 26 of 27 shots in the Detroit goal and was solid, especially during a late-game five-on-three when he made a number of key stops to prevent the Kings from adding an insurance goal.
“I felt good,… said Gustavsson, who got the win in relief of Jimmy Howard in Saturday’s 7-6 overtime victory at Dallas. “I got two games in the minors. I got some practice there and I’ve been practicing hard for several weeks now, so it was fun to get out there and play.…
The only puck to beat Gustavsson was a Justin Williams tip of a Jake Muzzin point shot.
“It was a good shot, a good deflection,… Gustavsson said. “I think overall it was a good game from both teams.
“It was kind of like a playoff game I felt like. It was tight, a low-scoring game. We did a good job of keeping them on the outside.
“They had a few three on twos and maybe a couple of chances, but other than that I think we kept them on the outside and we spent a lot of time in their end. Too bad tonight we couldn’t get a goal, but you’ve got to give all the guys credit for how hard they battled.…
The Detroit players deflected that credit right back to their oft-injured back-up goalie.
“Monster did a good job for us,… Abdelkader said. “I think he played great.
“He’s been working hard to get rehabbed, to get healthy, to get ready for this opportunity and I thought he did a great job. He played the puck well for us. He made big saves.
“He takes up a lot of the net so even if he doesn’t see pucks they seem to hit him.…
Power Outage Detroit’s NHL-leading power play came into the game clicking at a 25.2 per cent success rate, but went 0-for-5 against the Kings.
“I thought they were real good,… Babcock said of the Kings’ penalty killer. “I thought they kept us on the walls. We had the one and only – I mean we had a couple of chances – but our best one was Gus (Nyquist) late walking down the middle. But we were unable to capitalize on them.…
Abdelkader cited a number of minor issues that added up to failure for the Wings in man-advantage situations.
“On our entries, we weren’t together, we didn’t make our adjustments right away like we should have,… Abdelkader said. “We kept pucks on the walls, which L.A., they’re a big team, so that’s where the want the puck, along the wall.
“We need to communicate better. In turn, our power play has won us a lot of games this year, but our power play has got to come through with at least one with all the chances we had.
“Our power play’s got to somehow find a way to if not score, create better momentum for us.…
Misinformed Babcock really gave it to referees Chris Rooney and Kyle Rehman and linesmen Jay Sharrers and Kiel Murchison when Luke Glendening was called for delay of game after shooting the puck into the crowd. It gave L.A. its five-on-three advantage and the Wings were convinced the puck deflected out of play off the stick of a Kings player.
Video replays showed that the Wings were incorrect in this opinion.
“What my people who watched the video told me and what was true are different,… Babcock admitted. “So we shot it out. I shouldn’t be saying anything. It was our fault, no one else’s fault.
“I got some misdirection and so I’ll have to talk to those officials. We work together all the time, so you have to treat them better than that.…
Granato Recognized Detroit assistant coach Tony Granato, who played left wing for the Kings from 1990-96 and was part of the first Kings team to reach the Stanley Cup final in the spring of 1993, was honoured prior to the game.
“Tony’s whole family is here tonight so that’s a special – I think – Red Wing thing as well,… Babcock said. “You like to have great people in the organization that make your organization better, so we’re thrilled for Tony today obviously - thrilled for his family and thrilled that he (was) honored with us here to watch and to honor him at the same time.…
Jim Hiller, Detroit’s other assistant coach, was also part of the 1992-93 Kings team that lost the Stanley Cup final to the Montreal Canadiens.
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