The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed a Monday night notebook article, and he discusses the Wings’ 3rd period struggles and Tomas Tatar’s status as having just ended a goal-scoring slump:
Tatar hadn’t scored in eight games (only one in 13 games ) before scoring twice Sunday — including the overtime winner — in the 5-4 overtime victory over Washington.
“Two big goal-scorer’s goals there,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “He’s a real big scorer. He gets a little streaky at times, and hopefully he can get streaky hot here. He’s been a little snake-bitten, but I also think the goals followed what has been real good play here the last little bit.”
The two goals Sunday give Tatar 14 for the season, likely not the pace the Red Wings would have hoped for after signing Tatar, 26, a restricted free agent at the time, to a four-year contract worth $21.2 million in July ($5.3 million salary cap hit).
Last season, Tatar had 46 points (25 goals, 21 assists), thanks to a hot finish. Tatar has gone over 21 goals each of the last three seasons.
Tatar admitted it’s been difficult lately not seeing the puck go into the net.
“When you have chances to score and the goals won’t go in, you feel frustration,” Tatar said. “When the team isn’t winning, it doesn’t feel good. When you score, it’s nice to score for sure.”
