The Red Wings made just about every mistake from their arsenal of 2023-2024 season “book of defensive mistakes” during Thursday night’s 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and on Friday, the coach and players were quite aware of the error of their ways, as they told the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:
“We just gave them a lot of offense,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “And it came so easy.”
The Wings carried the play for most of the opening 20 minutes against Pittsburgh. But the game got away from the Wings when they became generous defensively, and the Penguins took advantage.
“Pucks were just going in,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “It felt like we were doing the right things but then we would just have big-time breakdowns. The rest of the game it was a different story every shift, what was breaking down. A lot of sloppy breakouts, sloppy coming back to our zone and finding coverage. Not a good second and third period, not a good start for our season.”
How the Wings respond Saturday against Nashville will be interesting to watch, as they attempt to nip this particular slip-up in the bud before it builds in what is a difficult October schedule.
The Wings will be without defenseman Jeff Petry (upper body) on Saturday. Petry missed the third period against Pittsburgh and his status is “day-to-day,” Lalonde said Friday.
Lalonde said the Wings will recall defenseman Justin Holl, a right-hand shot, to replace Petry. Lalonde also wouldn’t rule out seeing rookie defenseman Albert Johansson in the lineup against Nashville. Johansson, a left-handed shot, was a heathy scratch against Pittsburgh.
“I’d like to get Albert in,” Lalonde said. “Might see Albert (Saturday), we haven’t decided on that yet. But I would like to try to get him in soon and get him some game feel here. We’re going to get him in here pretty soon to see how he handles a real NHL game.”
Continued; Kulfan also discusses Ville Husso being pulled and Steven Stamkos signing with Nashville, given that Derek Lalonde was Stamkos’ assistant coach in Tampa Bay.
