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Third period and game wrap up- Detroit scored 4, more than double its average GPG. Each goal was meaningful. Glendening returns and scores, also assists on Erne’s first since 2019. Fabbri keeps showing what a nice pickup he is. Mantha, who’s been working hard all over, shoots a beautiful wrister on the rush. When the big man is on top of his game, he looks huge out there. Nashville opened the flood gates getting 13 shots to Detroit’s six. Bernier held up his end of the deal. Detroit was physical and showed a big commitment to the defensive side of the puck. The third period was more of a “hold on” type period. I’ve been critical of Blashill, but the team defense in the past couple has been much better. There was an obvious turn in commitment, and I’ll tip my hat to the coach. The players are skating harder and clogging up shooting lanes. Much better look tonight. So, go get your free curly fries (if you’re near a participating Arby’s). They actually make a pretty good Reuben too. I fondly remember that Arby’s was the ONLY fast food restaurant my stepdad would eat at. Literally. He liked the roast beef. I do to. Hopefully the deli counter in heaven serves up something good. Enjoy the win tonight. Many things came together. The power play still has not. Better looks for sure, but still needs to connect.
Second Period Summary - more wow. Glendening was missed for his faceoff work, for sure. Tonight he’s being rewarded for working his butt off. Detroit is a different team when Fabbri and Zadina are in the game. Luke, although it doesn’t often hit the scoreboard, gives so much to the team. He skates hard every shift. He’s my favorite type of story. Walk on at U of M becomes captain. Tryout in the ECHL. Tryout in the AHL. Tryout for the NHL. Nothing ever given, every minute earned. Hats off. The last minute Detroit looked dominant. 2 goalposts hit. Shots are 24-10, almost 3 to 1. Nashville just now hit double digit SOG after 2 periods. The Wings can’t afford to take their foot off the gas, Nashville scores most of its goals in the third period. I feel bad for Greiss. They’re only scoring 1.55 gpg for that poor guy. Bernier pops in and they drop 3. C’est la vie.
First period summary - wow. That isn’t the period you expect to see. Wings keep predators to 6 shots on net, and score twice on 9 shots. Mantha doing a lot of good things defensively, and helped lead to the Fabbri goal. Larkin looks like he’s as fast as he’s ever been. Zadina has had some nice plays down low. Fabbri has been sorely missed. For whatever reason, he makes a huge impact on this roster. The defense is working hard. For the first time in a while, Detroit has the type of lead that could make Nashville take more risks and open Detroit up for odd man rushes. Erne scored for the first time since 2019. It’s a crazy night.
From a “Clash of the Shiteans” to a breakdancing reference, the movie references pretty much just keep rolling. And why? Because fiction is much more stable than reality any more. The crappy clockwork owl in the original “Clash of the Titans” is much easier to buy into than how upside down everything feels sometimes. And, oh yeah, there’s a rebuild in Detroit.
In 2008, when Detroit won its final cup of that era(dear Lord hopefully not ever) the DVD released had players talking about how tough things were. How the recession had everyone in a funk, and how badly the city needed this win. From what I can tell, the mood in 2008 looks like a carnival compared to how everyone is feeling right now. The funk of reality makes the pain of the rebuild much more exaggerated.
If you get a bunch of Red Wings fans who were around for the past 4 cups, you’ll be flooded with “All Detroit needs is...” and fill in the blank. The team’s success made everyone feel like a genius. After 1995, we needed more grit. After 1997, we had the emotion of a fallen player. For 2002, let’s get every available future hall of fame player and for the league to adopt a salary cap. In 2008, Ken Holland was considered a drafting genius. Lidstrom, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and the last great ride of the Grind Line. Often overlooked was some brillliant post season goal tending by Osgood. (2009 he was also insanely good. The loss to Pittsburgh sealed his fate to be forever mocked and pushed aside). Regardless, the team was good and it raised a generation of fans who can tell you everything a cup winning team needs. Well, so it seems.
In 1982, Jimmy Devellano was actually laughed at when he though Detroit could contend again in 8 years. It would start with drafting. It took 7 more years to hoist the cup. Nick Lidstrom never saw a season without a post-season in his entire career. Yzerman did, though. 15 years seems painful. 8 years, actually, seems painful as well. A lot of things have to go right in that time.
When Detroit hits the ice against Nashville, it is still the team with expiring contracts and players learning to lead the team. It can be argued that the system needed to win is not in place yet (Scotty Bowman ain’t coming back). Gerard Gallant, though, would be a nice change. For myself, personally, I have to reset my mind. The last game was an immensely frustrating affair. Detroit did control the play, more than in almost any game they’ve played this year. This is a team that can “outwork” the opposition and still lose. It’s a hard, hard pill to swallow still.
Helm, Filppula, Glendening, Erne, Ryan, Gagner, Staal, Nemeth, Djoos, Merrill, Hronek and Bernier all have expiring contracts. 1 year later Nielsen, Dekeyser and Stecher. The entire current Defensive roster has contracts that expire this year or next. A good chunk of the forwards. I’ve avoided listing some (Hronek was listed, but should be back). In Yzerman’s tenure almost the entire roster will have been flushed in just a few years. The team has no chance to get a feel for their “identity” with the type of in and out going on every year right now. Even less with no real structure that can translate to success.
I should have given the team more credit after Thursday’s loss. There was a lot of positive forward motion from Larkin, Zadina, Mantha and others. Ryan is still a huge breath of fresh air. The frustration takes over and puts a bad taste on the whole ordeal.
Personally, I am going to try and be patient, again. Take the positives with the negatives and look for any type of forward motion. Hopefully good play will translate into a win, but it may not. Let me know what you’re looking for, and what you’d like to see. I’ll be doing updates between periods.
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