The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Calgary Flames via a 2-1 overtime decision on Wednesday night, scoring power play goals in both regulation and overtime to defeat a methodical, hard-working Calgary team.
Lucas Raymond’s game-winning goal was almost as much relief as anything else, given that the Wings worked so very hard to earn what turned out to be a single point…
LUCAS RAYMOND WINS IT! 🐙
— NHL (@NHL) November 28, 2024
His @Energizer overtime winner gives the @DetroitRedWings the extra point! pic.twitter.com/Ja18bN1KHo
And CalgaryFlames.com’s Ty Pilson reported that the Flames felt that they’d at least earned a point out of what was, at times, a sleepy game, as well…
Connor Zary scored late in the third period on a powerplay to tie up the game, but the Flames lost 2-1 in overtime Wednesday night in Detroit.
Calgary was called for too many men with 1:54 to go in extra time and Lucas Raymond would score to seal the deal for the homeside. It was Detroit’s second powerplay goal of the game.
Dan Vladar was excellent for Calgary, making 25 saves on the night.
Trailing 1-0, Detroit captain Dylan Larkin got a two-minute penalty for a faceoff violation at 15:20 of the third.
Zary then snipped a wrister with eight ticks left in the advantage at 17:12 to force overtime. The Flames have scored at least one powerplay goal in five straight games.
The Flames are now 1-0-1 on this four-game road trip.
But the Flames themselves were a little bitter after losing in overtime on a power play goal against, as the Flames website’s player-and-coach-quip article noted:
Connor Zary on losing in OT to the Red Wings: “It always sucks, obviously, the bright spot is getting one point, but I think all of us in this room want to win games, whether that’s in overtime, whether that’s in the first 60, I think we’ve got to pride ourselves in doing that. I thought for most of the game, we were good, we came out hard, we let up a little bit – then it was kind of a back-and-forth game. I think we took it to them in the third period for sure. It’s something just for us to clean up moving forward, we don’t want to lose games against anyone.”
On his powerplay goal: “Anytime you score, it feels good, and especially in those situations late in the game, to tie it up, it feels good. I think for me, it’s just keep doing the right things, keep playing how I’m playing and keep plugging away, and they’ll fall. Just got to keep creating chances and moving my feet; that’s the way my game needs to be all the time.”
Mikael Backlund on the OT setback in Detroit: “I don’t think it was our best game. I didn’t think we got, until the third, really, some pressure. We can play better than we did tonight. But it was a tight game until the end. We got a big point. To get a point when you don’t play well, it’s big. But we’ve lost too many on the road now, it’s time to win a road game.”
On Dan Vladar’s night in goal: “Vladdy played really well, he was solid tonight. He made some big saves, even early in the third he made some big saves to keep us in. He had a really good night tonight.”
Ryan Huska on the night overall: “I thought it was a hard game, both ways. Again, a typical game for us, there wasn’t a lot of room on the ice, I’m happy the guys stuck with it. We’ve talked a lot about our powerplay, and now we’re talking about it in a positive way, so that was a big goal for us tonight.”
On Zary’s progression as a player: “I think that’s the hope with all your young players, that they’re going to watch some of the older guys around them, and they’re going to take steps along the way. That’s part of our job as a staff, is to make sure they develop, and it’s part of the player’s job to make sure they’re putting in the work, and Connor has done that this year. His game has taken steps. It keeps getting harder as the season goes on, so it’s going to be a really good challenge for him to keep improving.”
Zary also spoke with Sportsnet’s Eric Francis about the too-many-men call that cost the Flames an overtime point…
“Obviously, a tough way to end the game,” he said, mature enough not to delve into the call once the game was over. “You never want to lose in overtime or go on the kill in overtime and lose it that way. So, it always sucks.
“Obviously, the bright spot is getting one point. But I think all of us in this room want to win games, and whether that’s in overtime, whether that’s in the first 60, I think we’ve got to pride ourselves in doing that.
“I thought for most of the game we were good, and we came out hard, and we let up a little bit, and then it was kind of back-and-forth all game. We don’t want to lose games against anyone, so we’ll just go back to work, have a good Thanksgiving and regroup.”
Coach Huska told NHL.com’s Dave Hogg that the game was one that was won on the margins…
“I think that’s how the game was – there wasn’t a lot of room on the ice for either team,” Huska said. “Their power play scored twice for them and that was the difference in the game, but I’m not at all disappointed with our effort.”
And while the Red Wings were proud to have won, they agreed that their victory was closely-won:
Raymond extended his goal-scoring streak to four games with his sixth goal of the season. He retrieved a loose puck after Alex DeBrincat shot wide, skated into the high slot and beat Dan Vladar with a wrist shot.
“Obviously it felt good,” Raymond said. “We were leading for almost 50 minutes, so it was tough to give up a late one, but we had a nice bounce back.”
DeBrincat also scored for Detroit (10-10-2), which has won three of four.
“We’re playing with good structure and high compete and we’re getting rewarded for it,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “It will be a challenge to keep this going.”
Cam Talbot made 24 saves.
“We knew coming into the game that Calgary is a very aggressive team that forechecks hard,” Talbot said. “I thought, if anything, we kind of took it to them for most of the game.”
Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff noted that the Red Wings were fine winning a bit of a sleepy game–because they won it…
A 2-1 win on Wednesday over the Calgary Flames was again emphasizing what must be the blueprint for success with this team.
“Absolutely,” Detroit goalie Cam Talbot was confirming. “And I think that we’ve shown that we can play these games. I mean, we knew that coming into this game, Calgary was going to be a team that, they’re an aggressive team. They forecheck hard. They tend to try to just outwork their opponents and grind them down. And we bent, but we didn’t break for the most part all night.”
Coming on the heels of a 4-2 win on Long Island with am empty-net goal to beat the New York Islanders, the mission for the Red Wings is a simple one. Check like demons. Defend maniacally. Clog up the neutral zone. Block shots.
It isn’t pretty to watch and it’s going to require the sacrificing of many a fingernail among the fan base. At the same time, it’s the only formula for success this team can implement.
From the outset, the Wings have spoken to the need to tighten up defensively. Finally, that talk isn’t mere platitudes. There’s been a renewed emphasis on keeping the puck out of their net. Detroit has allowed just six goals over the past four games. And in the process, they’ve been laying claim to points in four of the past five games.
“You don’t have to be experienced in hockey to see we’re playing with really good structure, high compete and we’re getting rewarded for it,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “It’s about keeping out of our net, the last four games and good. Six goals (against), it just gives us an opportunity.”
I don’t necessarily buy Duff’s suggestion that this Red Wings team can “only win boring hockey games,” but the Red Wings were talking about nearly achieving their aim of defensive perfection after the game, as the Free Press’s Helene St. James noted…
“I really wanted the shutout tonight, just the way we played,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “So it was unfortunate – too many penalties. Four was just too much, it was just a matter of time. But what a complete game, start to finish.”
The Wings (10-10-2) have won three of their last four games and have points in four of their last five games.
Raymond stretched his goal-scoring streak to four games when he took a pass from Alex DeBrincat and beat Dan Vladar with a wrist shot.
“It felt good,” Raymond said. “Leading for almost 50 minutes, it’s tough to give up a late one. Happy to get the bounce back.”
DeBrincat scored his ninth goal of the season. The Wings, whose penalty kill had dropped to the bottom of the league, were shorthanded twice in the third period and got dinged while Dylan Larkin was in the box for a faceoff violation, giving up a goal to Connor Zary with 2:48 to play in regulation.
“We bent but we didn’t break for the most part all night,” Talbot said after making 24 saves. “If anything, we kind of took it to them for most of the game. You give up that late one and you can do one of two things – you can either fold and give the game back to them, or you can come out in overtime and get the game winner. We did a good job mentally of not letting that one get to us and finishing with a win.”
For the Red Wings, it isn’t about playing entertaining or boring hockey or anything in between–it’s about winning, as they told the Detroit News’s Matt Schoch…
Connor Zary tied it with 2:48 remaining to ruin the shutout and force overtime for Calgary (12-7-4). But Raymond’s game-winner gave Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot his sixth win after making 24 saves.
“You can do one of two things: You can either fold and give the game back to them, or you can come out in overtime and get the game-winner,” Talbot said. “We did a good job mentally of not letting that one get to us and finishing the win.”
The Red Wings have allowed six goals in the last four games.
“We’re showing that we can play these games,” Talbot said. “We bent but we didn’t break for the most part all night. I thought, if anything, we kind of took it to them for most of the game.”
Added Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde, on playing low-scoring games: “It’s reality. It’s about keeping it out of the net.”
Detroit indeed had the upper hand for much of the second period, outshooting the Flames, 11-5. However, Vladar kept it a one-goal game, stopping Vladimir Tarasenko and Jonatan Berggren on back-to-back chances in front after a long pass from Moritz Seider off the boards behind the Calgary net.
The Red Wings have points in four of their last five games.
“I just think we’ve found our game,” Raymond said. “Pay with more pace, play on the same page, and getting results off that.”
The Red Wings don’t think that they’re playing like liquid Dramamine, as they told DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills…
“We’re getting back to our game that we’re supposed to play,” said Lucas Raymond, who scored the game-winning goal on the power play at 3:35 of overtime. “Obviously goaltending has been a huge part of that. I’m not just saying that because Talbs is sitting here, but I just think we found our game. We’re playing with more pace and are on the same page, and getting results off of that.”
Goalie Cam Talbot, who is one career NHL game away from 500, made 24 saves for Detroit (10-10-2; 22 points), which is 3-0-0 on Thanksgiving Eve under head coach Derek Lalonde. Netminder Dan Vladar turned away 25 shots for Calgary (12-7-4; 28 points).
“We’re playing with really good structure and high compete, and we’re getting rewarded for it,” Lalonde said. “It’ll be a challenge to keep this going.”
Instead, the Wings would argue, they’re adjusting to their opponents’ play, and taking what is out there to exploit:
Lalonde on how Detroit needs to play to be successful: “The last four games, I think we’ve given up six goals. It just gives us an opportunity. I think it’s the reality of winning in the league, not necessarily just us. Good buy-in from our guys. Again, just a really good win.”
Raymond on his game-winning goal in overtime: “It obviously felt good. Leading for almost 50 minutes, it’s tough to give up a late one. But happy we bounced back.”
Talbot on how much he can see Detroit’s confidence building on the defensive side of its game: “Our D-zone has been unbelievable as of late. The guys are doing a good job clogging up the middle and making the other team give up the puck coming into our zone. Once we clean up the penalty kill a little bit here, I think you’ll see that number [goals against] come down even more.”
Improving on defense isn’t boring. It’s hard to do, but it’s not boring hockey per se–it’s the reality for a team that’s giving up too many goals.
Maybe when the Wings master the art of playing defense, they can “zhoosh” up their offensive game a bit. But for now, if boring works, it works.
Multimedia:
Highlights: Sportsnet posted a 10:21 highlight clip….
And Sportsnet posted a highlight clip showing overtime in its entirety, too:
NHL.com posted a 10:13 highlight clip:
Post-game: FanDuel SportsNet Detroit’s Natalie Kerwin posted her post-game interview with Lucas Raymond on “X”:
Lucas. Raymond. OT WINNER!
— Natalie Kerwin (@NatalieKerwin1) November 28, 2024
Here’s my postgame interview with Razor ⚡️ @DetroitRedWings win 2-1! pic.twitter.com/HOjRSav9zS
The Flames’ website posted post-game comments from Connor Zary, Mikael Backlund and coach Ryan Huska;
The Red Wings posted a 7:24 clip of comments made by Cam Talbot, Lucas Raymond and coach Derek Lalonde…
And the Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a 5:19 clip of Red Wings player and coach comments as well:
Photos: The Flames’ website posted a 36-image gallery;
The Free Press posted a 13-image gallery;
The Detroit News posted a 9-image gallery.
Statistics: Here are the Game Summary and Event Summary:
