The Detroit Red Wings attempted to earn their 4th straight win while taking on the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
The game turned over the course of only 10 seconds of play, in which Washington scored 2 goals on the Red Wings, and after that, it was the Zach Fucale and the Washington Defense show, as Fucale pitched a 21-save shutout, Washington blocked 15 Red Wings attempts, and Detroit was shut out 2-0.
Detroit drops to 7-6-and-2 heading into Saturday’s home stand finale vs. the Montreal Canadiens. The Red Wings are now halfway through their stretch of 11 games to be played over the course of 17 nights.
Both teams’ lineups were in flux prior to the game, so warm-ups resolved the personnel issues:
The teams iced the following lineups:
Tonight vs. Washington. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/J20FOqmunr— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 12, 2021
Lineys!#CapsWings pic.twitter.com/ph25ziXoSE— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 12, 2021
The starters and scratches were as follows:
In the 1st period…
The Red Wings started the game by countering the Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson line with Bertuzzi, Larkin and Raymond up front; Leddy and Hronek started on defense.
Kuznetsov and Larkin drew in for the opening faceoff, Larkin won it to Leddy and the Wings chipped and chased, kept the puck in deep for Larkin, and he fed Raymond, but the Caps blocked the pass, skated into Detroit’s zone, and the Wings exited quickly, skated back into Washington’s zone, and Seider joined the fray.
As Bertuzzi jabbed the puck in on Fucale off a rebound that went wide of the net, and Fucale wrapped his legs around the post, the Wings got the game’s first shot 46 seconds into the 1st period.
For the Wings’ second shift, Rasmussen, Erne and Namestnikov worked together, winning a draw, but Washington cycled into Detroit’s zone, pushed the puck to the point, and found Namestnikov clearing the zone;
Staal carried the puck up ice, chipped and chased, and Namestnikov and Erne crashed and banged as the Capitals exited their own zone;
Greiss played the Caps’ dump-in to Staal, he fed Suter, Suter found Zadina, and Robby Fabbri could not convert in the slot as he fumbled the puck;
Instead, Washington roared back up ice 2 on 1, and Greiss made a big blocker stop;
Zadina returned the favor with a 2-on-2 rush in which he fired the puck on Fucale, who blockered the puck away;
Hronek worked the puck up to Gagner, and he skated with Stephens and Smith, who cycled deep and bumped and ground as the Capitals regrouped but could not clear. Regrettably, Givani Smith fanned on his shot attempt, and Detroit had to regroup at center;
Larkin’s line completed the 4-line cycle at 3:20, and Raymond stood up Ovechkin, who complained about Raymond interfering with him. Raymond was innocent.
Larkin then fired another shot in on Fucale, who gloved the puck with 16:16 left in the 1st.
Detroit’s Rasmussen line was unable to secure possession of the puck in the offensive zone, and had to re-set at center ice before Rasmussen made a Power Move toward the net, charging up into the slot with the puck, but he flubbed his opportunity due to Jonsson-Fjallby blocking him off;
When Washington returned to the Wings’ zone, Sheary walked Fabbri, but Fabbri blocked off Sheary with a strong body check;
With Hronek’s help, Fabbri generated a fine scoring chance on Fucale, with Suter stirring up some trouble by jabbing in on the rebound, and Jensen hacked Suter as a result. There was no call on the play.
As the 5-minute mark passed, Larkin won a faceoff deep and set up Raymond for a one-time opportunity that Fucale stifled;
Washington got its own rush into the Wings’ zone, and Wilson sent a shot through the crease, but Fehervary could not hold the puck in to afford Washington a cycle;
On the next shift, the Stephens line had a good forechecking cycle going, but the Wings’ attempts to get pucks into the slot were being repelled by the Capitals’ alert defense;
Namestnikov fed the puck to a wide-open Leddy chugging in back-door, but Fucale made an excellent stop:
Red Wings have had what feels like 5 or 6 looks so far that have been as good than this chance from Leddy #LGRW pic.twitter.com/EEf494BL7p— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) November 12, 2021
Off a Greiss puck-play, Detroit turned the puck over at the blueline, and Jensen fed a Capital for a fine chance in the Wings’ zone that Greiss BLOCKERED away;
Zadina, Suter, Fabbri, DeKeyser and Seider then charged up into the Capitals’ zone, cycled, and went offside, triggering the first TV timeout.
8:13 into the 1st period, Detroit led Washington in shots 8-3 and the attempts were 15-4 Detroit.
When play resumed, Ovechkin’s line opposed Lakrin’s, and Seider and Bertuzzi worked the puck deep off an offensive blueline faceoff, but the Capitals were very physical, and their defense was stifling the Wings’ slot attempts.
Overall, Detroit was doing a good job of stifling the Capitals’ offense at the center ice line and/or in the neutral zone, so the nexus of play was in Washington’s zone;
Gagner, Stephens and Smith had a good shift opposite Hathaway and Jonsson-Fjallby, though Greiss had to grab a puck sent in from across center ice, triggering a no-change call against the Wings:
Detroit then won the defensive zone faceoff, lost possession to the Caps, and Nick Jensen was stopped by Greiss’ glove.
The Suter line took over for the next faceoff, and Jensen, playing quite well, sent a bomb wide of the net;
Detroit pushed Washington back into its own zone, and Suter made a fine check in the middle of the ice to block off the Capitals’ attack.
Suter also helped cover for a Nick Leddy pinch before he cycled the puck up to Fabbri, who fumbled the puck again into nothing.
The second TV timeout hit at 10:46 of the 1st. Washington had decreased the Wings’ shot lead to 7-5 (a shot was taken away from Detroit); attempts were 15-7.
When play resumed, Erne drew in for a faceoff and helped pump the puck back to the point, but Gustav Lindstrom pinched poorly, and Washington generated a 2-on-1.
Thomas Greiss made a HUGE stop on Carl Hagelin to keep the game scoreless.
As Detroit continued to battle the Capitals, Erne, Namestnikov and Rasmussen continued to tangle with the Hagelin line, and Detroit had to parry several Capitals rushes before chipping and changing;
Ovechkin’s line charged in with lots of speed, but Ovechkin turned the puck over to Lucas Raymond, and Raymond cleared the puck;
Larkin then dangled his way into the Capitals’ slot, only to be stifled by a Fucale poke check;
Tom Wilson and Ovechkin forced a turnover that Jensen set up into an Orlov chance;
Kuznetsov swiped the puck off the back of the net, and with Tom Wilson and Filip Hronek screening Greiss, Orlov fired a point shot through Greiss at 12:43.
What a shot! pic.twitter.com/7MnnWmez5U— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 12, 2021
Worse, 10 seconds after the Orlov goal, Jensen poked the puck free at a tied-up faceoff, and Lars Eller blazed in to make it 2-0 at 12:53.
Deke n beat pic.twitter.com/YCW5uuyc1X— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 12, 2021
From the line to the goal, it’s all gravy for the @Capitals here. pic.twitter.com/GPOGsg3grE— NHL (@NHL) November 12, 2021
Washington scored 2 goals in 10 seconds, with Orlov scoring the 1-0 goal from Kuznetsov and Ovechkin at 12:43, and Eller’s goal came from Nick Jensen at 12:53.
Suddenly, it was 2-0 Washington.
Greiss had to make TWO big stops on the post-goal shift, and the Capitals looked to push the Wings onto their back skate, with Detroit looking a little shocked as the Caps took the play to Detroit off earned breaks.
The shots were 9-8 Washington with 5:45 remaining, and attempts were 19-12 Detroit.
When play resumed after a TV timeout, Rasmussen, Erne and Namestnikov tried to cycle together, but instead, the Capitals rushed into the Wings’ zone, and Hronek and Leddy iced the puck trying to deal with the Jonsson-Fjallby line.
Rasmussen dialed in for the defensive zone draw, vs. the Ovechkin line, and Jensen sent a shot high and wide of the Wings’ net, held the puck in, and Orlov and Jensen played catch with Wilson, his shot was blocked by Leddy, and Detroit really scrambled, with Orlov firing a shot in on Greiss that the Red Wings’ goaltender had to stop and tip out of play.
With 4:41 remaining in the 1st period, Ovechkin was the least of the Red Wings’ concerns….
And, off a bad giveaway by Raymond, Carl Hagelin tipped the puck down with a high stick, pushing the next faceoff out to the blueline.
The Capitals chipped the puck in deep, Seider fed DeKeyser, and his blind back-pass was picked off by Aleksei Protas, who chipped a shot in on Greiss. Greiss made the stop with 4:19 remaining.
Off the next faceoff, Connor Sheary was stifled by Greiss;
Fabbri, Suter and Zadina worked the puck deep into the Caps’ zone, and Seider skated deep, getting back to help DeKeyser block off a Capitals’ to-the-slot play;
Staal was blocked off and pinched deep as the Capitals charged into the Wings’ zone, and Detroit scrambled to get back to stop the Capitals’ rushes.
Gagner, Stephens and Smith bumbled a 3-on-2, and Smith fed Gagner for an attempt that was blocked off;
Hronek himself skated in and Fucale blockered his shot wide of the net;
With 2:15 remaining, Detroit and Washington were trading chances, but the Capitals’ chances were hitting the Red Wings’ net.
Rasmussen did send the puck into the Capitals’ slot for an Erne backhanded shot, but Fucale made easy work of the problem.
When Bertuzzi and Larkin and Raymond returned to the ice, they were no longer opposite the Ovechkin line, and they got a good cycle going on both deep zone faceoffs that they win, but Bertuzzi made a bad decision to pass the puck through traffic, once, then twice, and Fehervary made some heavy hits on Bertuzzi and Seider, sans call.
The Larkin line then got backed in opposite Jensen and company, and Seider and Jensen jousted, with Jensen taking Seider’s stick away from him.
The first period ended with Detroit struggling to clear the puck deep for Robby Fabbri, who was able to charge in alone 1-on-1 with only 15 seconds remaining, and Fabbri drew a holding penalty on Tom Wilson.
Tom Wilson probably could have gotten called for a penalty on this one too #LGRW pic.twitter.com/1YmOlY1S2p— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) November 12, 2021
Tom Wilson sat with 13.6 seconds remaining in the 1st, and Detroit won their deep zone faceoff, with Leddy firing a hard point shot wide of the net.
So Washington would head to the Capitals’ locker room with the 2-0 lead.
Detroit will start on the Power Play with 1:47 remaining to start the 2nd. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/qCXHU2BumS— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) November 12, 2021
Red Wings-Capitals stats after 1 period of play. Detroit trails 2-0. pic.twitter.com/Cow5Nmqjxr— George Malik (@georgemalik) November 12, 2021
2nd is ours! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/Wt7oqh9aQs— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 12, 2021
In the 2nd period…
The Red Wings began the 2nd period on the power play for 1:46.
Detroit started Bertuzzi, Larkin, Raymond, Zadina and Seider.
Washington won the initial faceoff and chipped the puck deep;
Detroit had to regroup in their own zone, they skated through the middle of the ice, Bertuzzi and Larkin cycled, Jensen stole the puck and chipped it all the way down the ice.
Detroit regrouped, re-set, and sent the puck deep, with Seider holding in the puck as Zadina was held up by van Riemsdyk, and Washington cleared the zone easily.
Detroit tried to skate into the Caps’ zone, Larkin, Raymond and Bertuzzi tried to feed the puck into the slot, and instead, Garnet Hathaway got a shot off on the Red Wings’ goal.
Detroit’s second PP unit worked the puck deep, Hronek was checked off the puck, and the Capitals killed the penalty.
Off the even-strength call, SUTER was set up FANTASTICALLY WELL by Fabbri and Zadina, but Fucale gloved the puck with ease.
Detroit’s next line, Rasmussen, Erne and Namestnikov, was unable to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and Wilson, Kuznetsov and Ovechkin cycled deep in the Wings’ zone.
Detroit ultimately cleared the zone, but Washington regained possession of the puck, and Detroit had to start in its own zone again.
Detroit looked jittery and was less than demonstrative as the 2nd period progressed, some 3 minutes in, and Washington was generating one-man-in scoring chances, while Detroit was dekeing and dangling and trying to pass THROUGH Capitals sticks instead of around them.
DeKeyser, Seider, Gagner and Stephens worked a fine cycle deep into the Capitals’ zone some 4:10 into the 1st, but DeKeyser could not keep the puck in, and the Capitals stood Detroit up at center ice.
Gagner fed the puck out front to Smith when the Wings established possession and control, and the Wings were repelled;
Washington’s Fehervary was blocked off skating up 2-vs.-2
Larkin skated in alone and was stifled by Fucale;
Raymond and Larkin were unable to force a turnover on the next rush, and Bertuzzi coughed up the puck at center ice, forcing Detroit to back out of their own zone;
Raymon was then dumped by Kuznetsov, who called “bullshit” on a trip that was very, very evidently a penalty.
5:56 into the 2nd period, Detroit headed to the power play.
Fabbri, Suter, Hronek, Leddy and Gagner lost the initial deep offensive zone faceoff, regrouped at center ice, established possession in Washington’s zone, and Gagner, Leddy and Fabbri played catch.
Gagner sent the puck to Suter, who was tripped sans call, and Washington cleared the zone;
Then Fabbri, Gagner and Suter cycled deep, lost the puck and Leddy had to jump to try and keep the puck in;
Washington chipped and chased, Leddy and Larkin and Fabbri worked together to clear the puck, and Raymond skated in, stopped, sent it deep to Larkin, who was tripped, and there was no call on the Capitals (again).
Detroit kept fumbling their exchanges in the offensive zone, and Larkin and Bertuzzi were unable to feed Zadina for a chance, so Detroit dropped to 0-and-2 on the power play, with 12 minutes to go in the 2nd period.
Washington was giving Detroit just enough of a rough ride to deter the Wings from playing north-south hockey, and their shut-the-game-down fundamentals were working.
And of course Moritz Seider got called for tripping Ovechkin at 8:46.
On the penalty-kill, Detroit utilized Stephens, Gagner, Hronek and DeKeyser, and the Wings cleared the puck deep off a Capitals player, so Ovechkin saw that a young lady got bloodied by the puck 11 seconds into the PK.
And they called Hronek for the clear. Washington got 1:49 of a 5 on 3.
On the penalty-kill, Washington fumbled the puck in the neutral zone, iced the puck, and when the Capitals drew in on their defensive zone faceoff, they won it, so Gagner, Staal and DeKeyser backed in, but cleared their own zone thanks to a linesman getting in the way;
Washington then set up again, Carlson fed Wilson, and he hesitated as Greiss stumbled;
Ovechkin’s shot was blocked by Gagner, and Detroit changed PK’ers.
Kuznetsov worked the puck into the Wings’ zone, Carlson fed Wilson, to Carlson, the Capitals tried to set up Ovechkin, fialed for a bit, re-set, and Ovechkin’s shot was blocked by Rasmussen, so Fucale played the puck to Ovechkin to get the Wings on the change, Carlson walked in and Greiss stopped him;
Seider came back into play as Greiss stopped the Capitals;
And Detroit KILLED THE PENALTY.
Washington led the Wings in shots 7-2 some 11:01 into the 2nd period, but Washington was guilty of getting “too cute” with the puck, so Detroit was surviving.
When play resumed after a TV timeout, Detroit’s Greiss had to make a big stop, he bumbled and bounced the rebound, but the Larkin-Bertuzzi-Raymond line cycled deep, was unable to generate much of anything offensively, and, instead, Nick Jensen continued to block off the Wings’ attempts to clear the puck.
Leddy, Hronek and Fabbri fed Suter in front of the net on the next Wings rush, but Fucale gobbled up the puck and held the rebound before Suter could whack it free…
The Suter line remained on the ice and surrendered a rush to the Capitals, flubbed the puck at center ice, and regrouped.
Rasmussen’s line then took to the ice and forced an icing call with 7:13 remaining in the 2nd period;
Detroit just didn’t look like a team that was going to score any goals opposite the sneaky Capitals, who were playing a low-energy “kill the game” effort.
Wilson and Seider came together in the Wings’ defensive zone, and Tom Wilson skated into Michael Rasmussen’s stick, yielding a high-sticking penalty at 13:29.
On the penalty-kill, Wilson was fine to play on the power play, and he, Carlson, Ovechkin, Kuznetsov and company cycled, cycled, and Greiss made a big glove stop 46 seconds into the PK;
Suter, Namestnikov, DeKeyser and Hronek worked together on the second unit, and Ovechkin stole a Hronek clearing attempts, Kuznetsov was blocked by Suter, and Suter cleared the zone;
Washington ultimately set up at center ice, skated into the Red Wings’ zone, and Ovechkin passed the puck across to Filip Hronek, affording Detroit a clear;
With 33 seconds remaining in the PK, Mitchell Stephens almost raced in alone;
Washington set up in the Wings’ end on their PP, Orlov worked the puck down low, Phillips and Orlov cycled, and FILIP HRONEK AND MARC STAAL saved a goal as Connor McMichael tried to stuff the puck in the open net as Griess over-committed.
Filip Hronek redeems himself with a huge save on Connor McMichael to keep the score 2-0 #LGRW pic.twitter.com/RSA7Lwpx2i— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) November 12, 2021
Instead, McMichael took an interference penalty and sat at 15:42.
On the Power Play, Larkin won the draw, Detroit barely kept the offensive zone, and Filip Zadina fumbled the puck, affording Carl Hagelin a breakaway attempt that Greiss had to stifle;
Detroit skated the other way, and Bertuzzi and Hagelin got tied up at the Capitals’ line, affording Hagelin a tripping penalty that gave Detroit 1:24 of a 5 on 3.
On the 5 on 3, Larkin tied up the draw but the Capitals’ Wilson pushed it back and the Caps cleared their zone;
Hronek fed Larkin, he dropped Zadina regrouped, and Hronek, Raymond and Zadina played catch.
Zadina fed Hronek and Zadina blasted a heavy shot wide of the net;
Zadina fed Larkin, the perimeter was worked heavily and Hronek had to hold in a bad Raymond pass…
Hronek and Bertuzzi tipped a puck on Fucale, but he stopped it;
Zadina fed Bertuzzi, Hronek was alone, and Zadina was BLOCKED by Orlov into the crowd.
With 17 left on the 5-on-3 and 2:34 remaining in the 2nd period, the Wings changed units, and Gagner won the draw back to Seider, he and Leddy played cattch with Gagner, Seider fed Leddy, Fabbri looked for Seider, Leddy fed Seider and the Red Wings DID NOT SHOOT, so up came McMichael, who deked and dangled and was STOPPED BY GREISS.
With 25 seconds remaining on the power play, and 2:07 remaining in the 2nd, Suter won a deep defensive zone faceoff, Hronek Datsyuk Dropped the puck at center ice, and Fabbri was blocked off;
Gagner fed Leddy who fed Hronek, and he was blocked, and that was the power play.
With 1:35 remaining on the 2nd period clock, Detroit set up in the offensive zone, struggled and surrendered a 3 on 2 where Greiss had to stop Wilson;
Fabbri, Gagner, Rasmussen and a fourth Wing could not generate an actual shot on goal on their rush 4 on 2;
Washington chipped and changed;
Staal and Seider worked together and chipped the puck in deep, but Fucale played the puck around the boards, Seider worked it deep, and Larkin worked his way off the boards, got a GREAT SHOT off that Fucale stopped, and Detroit just dumped and tried to grind the puck down low…
And at the end of the 2nd period, Larkin got cross-checked, Staal and Hathaway got into it, and that was the period.
20 minutes left. Lock it in. ? pic.twitter.com/RYmaZHWsnu— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) November 12, 2021
Red Wings-Capitals stats after 2 periods of play. Detroit down 2-0. pic.twitter.com/06uUB2KXQz— George Malik (@georgemalik) November 12, 2021
After 40. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/VIIljqMOer— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 12, 2021
In the 3rd period…
The 3rd period began with Detroit desperately in need of goals for, and desperately in need of preventing goals against.
The Larkin line started opposite Ovechkin’s line, and Detroit won the initial faceoff, Leddy and Hronek were unable to clear the puck out of trouble, but Larkin and Raymond came back to help, chipped and chased, and Leddy slid the puck across to Raymond, Leddy fed Larkin in the slot, and his shot was tipped out of play before it could get to Fucale.
30 seconds into the 3rd period, Rasmussen drew in vs. Eller in the offensive zone, he was tossed, so Adam Erne took the draw and lost it;
DeKeyser was chased by Jonsson-Fjallby, and the Wings pushed the puck deep, cycled or attempted to do so, and the Capitals cleared the zone;
Rasmussen himself raced up the middle of the ice, fired a shot wide of Fucale, and then Gustav Lindstrom tripped Connor Sheary, yielding a cross-checking minor to Lindstrom at 1:25.
Detroit headed to the PK and was unable to clear the zone after the Capitals’ first regroup;
Washington looked to set up Ovechkin, and they worked the perimeter beautifully.
Griess stopped Carlson on one flurry;
Kuznetsov fed Carlson and Hronek bumped him;
Ovechkin then fed Kuznetsov for a shot that Greiss stifled;
Ovechkin played point and was blocked off, his shot tipped wide, and Detroit cleared their zone;
Kuznetsov continued with Ovechkin, and the Capitals’ second unit took to the ice, opposite Rasmussen, Namestnikov, Staal and Seider, and Detroit cleared the zone and cleared the penalty.
Bertuzzi worked the puck into the offensive zone with Fabbri and Suter, and Detroit pushed the puck to the line, got a shot off on Fucale, and surrendered possession at center ice.
Detroit regrouped, Fabbri and Suter forechecked, and Bertuzzi bumped Jonsson-Fjallby very legally shoulder to shoulder;
Detroit changed 4:30 into the 3rd, and Lindstrom and Leddy worked with Raymond, Zadina and Larkin as the Wings looked for an offensive spark;
Staal and Seider helped Larkin achieve a zone entry in which Staal of all people got the only shot;
Zadina, Larkin and Raymond skated back the other way, tried to cycle, and Seider was blocked off by Ovechkin, forcing DeKeyser and Seider to regroup in their own zone.
6 minutes into the 3rd, as Mickey Redmond said, the Capitals were taking away Detroit’s time and space.
With 13:42 remaining in the 3rd, Detroit was only leading Washington 4-2 in shots.
When play resumed after the TV timeout, Rasmussen, Erne and Namestnikov were not able to generate an offensive rush;
Rasmussen’s chip and chase play did not work, but Namestnikov and Rasmussen established a cycle, pushed the puck to the point, and Hronek and Leddy fumbled their exchange;
Time began to tick down.
Quickly.
So Suter, Fabbri and Zadina were reunited, and they worked the puck to center ice, into the Capitals’ zone, and then they were backed into their own end;
Fabbri looked a bit stung after blocking a shot;
Larkin, Raymond and Bertuzzi also struggled to get through center ice, though Bertuzzi stole the puck, and van Riemsdyk took it back, skated deep, and Greiss had to play the puck for Seider, across to DeKeyser it went, and Detroit was stifled by Washington’s heavy checking.
The Red Wings were getting “Red Winged,” and it wasn’t fun to watch.
Rasmussen, Erne and Namestnikov cycled deep, surrendered the puck, and regrouped at center ice with 10:50 remaining in the 3rd period;
Jensen set up but was gloved down by Rasmussen, and Erne was checked by 2 Capitals trying to break in;
Erne worked with Namestnikov to generate the Wings’ first scoring chance of the 3rd period almost 10 minutes into said period 2 on 2…
Detroit trailed in shots 24-20 with 10:10 remaining.
Stephens, Smith and Gagner took to the ice, worked with Leddy and Hronek, and Gagner blasted a heavy shot in on Fucale, which was repelled;
Detroit then iced the puck with 9:38 remaining.
Washington won the offensive zone draw, but won it back into their own zone, and Detroit watched the Capitals regroup, press deep into Detroit territory, and Staal stole the puck and cleared it deep, but instead, Brett Leeson was afforded a 1-on-1 rush opposite Gustav Lindstrom, and as Lindstrom needs to work on his upper-body strength, Leeson sent a shot in on Greiss that was stifled.
Play resumed with 9:05 remaining in the 3rd period, and Detroit lost the deep defensive zone faceoff, Washington’s Jensen shot a fine shot in on Greiss, and instead of Filip Zadina charging up the other way and leading a scoring rush, #11 went offside.
Detroit really struggled to generate any kind of offense, and the truth of the matter is that time was ticking down faster than the Wings’ game was coming back up to NHL levels.
With 8:18 remaining, Leddy fed Namestnikov, who interchanged with Leddy, and Detroit could not penetrate the Capitals’ offensive zone with any ease;
On the next rush, Rasmussen, Erne and Namestnikov worked the puck to Leddy, he sort of flubbed the attempted slap shot, and Washington iced the puck with 7:30 remaining.
Larkin’s line took the next shift, and Lucas Raymond tripped a Capital, but got away with it;
Seider, DeKeyser, Larkin, Raymond and Bertuzzi cycled away, battled Capitals defenders, and regrouped at center ice, but they generated zero offense.
With 6:20 remaining, Washington took over possession of the puck, Jensen and Orlov were superb in working it up ice, and Detroit was chipping long bombs from center ice in on Fucale;
Sprong was stifled by Greiss on a Capitals 3 on 2, and Detroit at least blocked off the Capitals’ rebounds;
Greiss blocked off a Capitals dump-in and sent it up ice to Rasmussen, but that line did very little, and the 5-minute mark beckoned.
Erne, DeKeyser, Rasmussen and Namestnikov were unable to generate much of anything, and instead, Tom Wilson chipped, chased, vs. DeKeyser and Seider, Ovechkin got loose, looked for help, fed Schultz, and Erne blocked that shot;
With 4:20 remaining, Schultz cycled, Kuznetsov sent the puck down low, and Washington just ground the Wings out down low in the Detroit zone.
With 3:55 remaining, the Larkin line was helpless, and Eller was stifled by Greiss, as was Hathaway;
Detroit chipped and chased, but the Capitals took the puck;
Bertuzzi stole it back, Hronek fed Larkin, and his shot was blocked;
3:15 was left in the 3rd as Eller broke in and fired a shot wide of Greiss, who was seeing Capitals shots…
And the final TV timeout hit with 2:53 remaining.
In the final 2:53…
Larkin drew in for a deep defensive zone faceoff, lost it, and Seider had to battle a Cap down low to free the puck for Larkin;
Bertuzzi charged up ice with Larkin, Ovechkin was blocked off, and Raymond and Seider played catch with the net empty.
6 on 5…
Seider ed Larkin, Suter helped and Hronek was blocked by Wilson to center ice and down into the Wings’ zone.
Hronek and Raymond tried to keep the puck in deep, and Ovechkin fired the puck wide of an empty net;
Suter looked deep for Raymond he swept to Raymond and Seider could not hold the blueline;
Suter fed Larkin for a chance that went wide, Bertuzzi, Suter and Raymond worked the puck down low, Larkin was checked by Jensen, and the Capitals cleared the zone;
Bertuzzi fed Seider, the Capitals chipped the puck down ice and Orlov iced the puck.
With 52.4 left in the 3rd.
Gagner drew in for the deep offensive zone faceoff, vs. Kuznetsov, and the Capitals won the draw, pushed it down ice, and Hagelin tagged up to ensure there would be no icing.
Zadina flubbed a pass to Fabbri, and Zadina had to come back himself to feed Namestnikov cycling, circling, to Leddy, back down to Leddy, Gagner fanned and the last icing hit with 10.7 left in the 3rd.
Larkin drew in for one more faceoff, it was dropped poorly and the clock re-set, Larkin drew in again ,and the Capitals blocked a Hronek shot and a wraparound by Suter.
That was that.
Final: Capitals 2, Red Wings 0
Zachary Fucale posts a shutout in his first career NHL start pic.twitter.com/zanS85YxnB— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) November 12, 2021
Wings fail to convert on their own man advantage. We’ll button this one up Red Wings LIVE Postgame.
Montreal on deck, Saturday night. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/ePXYArT8gf— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) November 12, 2021
Statistics: Here are the Game Summary and Event Summary:
