MLive’s Ansar Khan spoke with Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde, forward Patrick Kane and defenseman Moritz Seider regarding the wide disparity in shots-for versus shots-against over the Red Wings’ first 10 games.
As Khan suggests, the Red Wings need to generate far more shots on opposing teams’ goaltenders while surrendering fewer shots against:
“I think we can get more pucks on net,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “I think the volume creates a trickle effect. We’ve had opportunities to get shots from the point, but I think sometimes it feels low percentage and so they pass up or they try to make a different play. But it’s usually the recovery of that shot that leads to that trickle effect. I’m talking about what we call the shot scramble, where you can get pucks to the net and then you have purpose in recovering it and it sets up a little bit more and it’s hard to defend.”
Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko are noticeably below their career shooting averages. Kane, who has one shot in the past three games, is averaging 1.6 for the season (3.29 career, 2.94 last season). Tarasenko is averaging 1.44 shots, about half his career average (3.02).
“It’s not spending as much time in our end,” Kane said. “Get to the net a little more, get some quicker decisions from the point, some shots through and hopefully get some traffic and shots that way. You’re not always thinking about shots, but sometimes when you can put more pucks to the net, you’ll give yourself a better chance to score. Even for myself, sometimes you come into the zone and you’re trying to look for the next-best play. Sometimes things open up a little more when you have that shoot-first mentality and you can see something after that.”
