Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen took note of the Red Wings coach’s take on the team’s lack of secondary scoring from, well, the second line:
The Detroit Red Wings’ second line of Robbie Fabbri, Pius Suter and Filip Zadina combined for 42 shots on goal in six games. The three players have combined for two goals. That’s a 4.7% line shooting percentage.
By contrast, the Red Wings’ top line of Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi produced 12 goals in 45 shots (26.7%). Detroit’s No. 3 line of Vladislav Namestnikov, Michael Rasmussen and Adam Erne scored four goals in 29 shots (13.7%).
“The Suter, Fabbri, Zadina line has had a lot of chances to have higher production totals than what they’ve had,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “They have to stay with it…I think they can be a really good line.”
The Red Wings sit 12th in the NHL in scoring average (3.33). However, they would be significantly higher if their second line was producing more. Based on how well Fabbri and Suter were playing in the preseason, there was hope this line could be more of a 1B line than a second line.
Continued; the Red Wings do need Suter and company to step up, but there’s been progress in terms of their level of play, and Suter was going to take some time to adjust to the Red Wings. Here’s hoping that they get on track over the course of the next three games.
