The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton breaks down “film” (Tweets) and adds context to last night’s 10-7 loss for the Red Wings’ prospects against the Columbus Blue Jackets:
After the game, head coach Dan Watson was predictably non-plussed by his team’s performance.
“Our start was fine, then the second period certainly got away from us,” Watson said. “The emotional side of it—some undisciplined penalties—their power play certainly made us pay for those undisciplined penalties. The consistency in our compete wasn’t there tonight.”
Of Cossa (whom Watson coached in Toledo a year ago), Watson said, “I thought he battled hard in the first period. Then you could see the way some of the goals given up — it wasn’t all on him, certainly, but it’s trying to find that consistency from game to game. It was a tough one here for him.”
Cross Hanas, meanwhile, emphasized that Cossa’s disappointing effort was inextricable from the performance of the skaters in front of him.
“I went up to him in the second intermission and let him know it’s all right. Stuff like this happens,” Hanas said. “There’s always going to be a game like this. We kind of didn’t do our part. We him on the penalty kill a lot. He faced a lot of shots early in the second period. It’s nothing that’s just his fault. It’s the whole team’s fault. I just told him, ‘You’re good, man. We’re sorry we put you in that situation.’ I know Coss, he’ll be good. He’ll be ready to go for the next time he’s in net.”
