This is what the Detroit Red Wings have talked about all in season long.
In theory, it made sense. In practice, it paid off in a victory.
Detroit grabbed that all-important insurance goal when Gustav Nyquist gave the Wings a 3-1 lead late in the second period and it paid dividends in a 4-2 triumph over the Calgary Flames Sunday at Joe Louis Arena.
The Wings have seen numerous one-goal third-period leads escape their clutches. On this occasion, the padding came in handy when Dougie Hamilton scored to narrow Detroit’s advantage to one goal.
Justin Abdelkader’s empty-net goal salted away the victory.
“I think the more cushion you give yourself, the better chance you’re going to have to win hockey games and certainly goals like that at critical moments are big,… Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said of Nyquist’s tally. “We would have liked to make it 4-1 to make it even better.
“Certainly to make it 3-1 was good.…
Captain Henrik Zetterberg liked that even after it was 3-1, the Wings didn’t sit back but kept coming at the Flames.
“It's always nice to get (a) two(-goal lead),… Zetterberg said. “Sometimes you want to get three. But I think we tried to go after the next goal in the third. We didn't stop playing.…
Rocket Richards Brad Richards scored the goal that put the Wings ahead for good when he stepped into a one-timer from the high slot and ripped it into the top left corner of the net to make it 2-1.
Richards now has three goals on the season, but they’ve all come in the past seven games as he begins to find his range. Regardless, Blashill liked what he saw from the summer free-agent addition long before he began piling up the offense.
“I think Richards has been real good even before he started scoring,… Blashill said. “I thought his play was real good. It just wasn’t – the production wasn’t necessarily coming.
We stuck with it because we thought the process was really good and now the production is starting to come. I mean that shot, that’s an unreal shot. He makes plays with Pav.
“Helm can do a lot of skating for both those guys, can get on pucks and provide lots of energy. We think it’s been a good line.…
Milestone Win Sunday’s victory was the 800th by the Red Wings since moving into the friendly confines of Joe Louis Arena in December of 1979.
“I hadn’t thought about it but it is a big deal in the sense that this place is great,… Blashill said. “The history here is amazing and to be a part of that is a pretty cool thing.
“The building’s been rocking. It’s been great. The fans have been great. We understand that and we think this is one of the real momentum-building rinks in the league.
“We talked about the (three goals in the) second period, that’s the type of energy and momentum you can gain from it.
“We want to win everywhere, on the road and at home but certainly to take advantage of these types of crowd is a great thing.…
Detroit's first victory at Joe Louis Arena was a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders on Dec. 30, 1979.
The Wings raced to a 4-0 first-period lead on goals by Dan Labraaten, Dan Bolduc, Errol Thompson and Vaclav Nedomansky, Thompson's tally being the game winner.
Bryan Trottier and Anders Kallur scored for the Isles in the second period.
Rogie Vachon made 35 saves for the win. Chico Resch took the loss. Attendance was 18,101.
The Islanders would go on to win the first of their four straight Stanley Cups that spring. The Wings would go on to miss the playoffs for the 12th time in 14 seasons.
Czech It Out With his 26-save victory, Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek moved past former Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Jiri Crha (28) and into a tie for eighth with Milan Hlinicka (29) on the all-time NHL list for wins by a Czech-born goalie.
“Oh really?… Mrazek said. “I didn’t know that.…
Once Mrazek surpasses Hlinicka, he figures to grab another spot up the ladder in rapid fashion. Martin Prusek (31) is seventh overall.
Former Wing Dominik Hasek (389) is the all-time leader.
Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer