Red Wings-Devils wrap-up: poor PK spoils Talbot’s 500th game, affords Devils a comeback win

The Detroit Red Wings probably should have earned a point against the New Jersey Devils on Friday afternoon/evening, but Detroit dropped a 5-4 decision in Cam Talbot’s 500th game because their penalty-kill still stinks, because the Wings played a passive second period, and because they were out-shot, out-worked, and out-physical-played.

For the 10-11-and-1 Red Wings, they can still salvage a 4-for-5 record on their home stand if they defeat the difficult-to-play Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, and perhaps save coach Derek Lalonde’s job in the process, but it’s not going to be easy by any means.

In terms of “making hay while the sun shines,” December’s schedule is tough; the Wings continue to play every other night until December 9th, and Detroit also has a rough set of divisional opponents over the next two weeks in Boston, Ottawa, Buffalo and Toronto.

Before the end of the month, the Wings will play Toronto twice, Montreal twice (back-to-back), and with 14 games over the course of 31 nights, we’ll be at the 35-game mark by the completion of the New Year’s Eve game opposite the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Wings simply need to play better, of course, in order to be anywhere near a Wild Card spot by the end of next month, but they’ve got to play a more aggressive, more efficient, less mistake-prone and more physical game–like the game the Devils played on Friday night.

New Jersey’s loss can be particularly illustrative going forward, because the Devils didn’t just beat Detroit–they also gave the Wings something of a blueprint as to how they’re going to need to play if they win with their A and B Games, and at least earn a loser point if they are to play their C Game like they did today.

Is that kind of improvement going to require coaching or player personnel changes? That’s a good question, and one that I don’t have the answer to. At this point, I’m looking at the present roster and present coaching staff, and suggesting that they can still improve enough to earn points in a game like today’s game. And I do believe that.

Anyway, that’s my take on what needs to happen next. On afternoon/evening, it was the Devils who were leaving Detroit smiling, as they told NewJerseyDevils.com’s Amanda Stein:

“Obviously we don’t like the way we started here tonight, that’s something we’ve got to get addressed, clearly,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “But, loved our power play went out and reset the game for us and then from there, we get down again, but we fight our way back and give ourselves a lead and then build that lead so that they get one and it’s not enough, and it gives us a chance to keep fighting to the end.”

New Jersey had five different goal scorers and the power play went 3-for-4 for the win in Detroit.

“I think it’s really important for us to win in different ways,” Luke Hughes, who played 19:09, and had an assist, said. “Tonight we definitely showed that. Two big goals for our power play to get us back into it after we didn’t come out so hot.”

…

Crashing the crease off the rush with 3:11 remaining in the second, Stefan Noesen gave New Jersey their first lead of the afternoon, 4-3, to enter the third period. As the clock hit zero, Hischier was caught with a high stick in the face that drew blood, putting the Devils on a four-minute man-advantage to start the third.

The Red Wings killed off the first of the minor penalties before Jack Hughes used Noesen as a screen in front of Talbot to wire the puck into the Detroit net to take a two-goal lead, 5-3.

It would prove to be an all-important moment, as 22 seconds later, Justin Holl scored for Detroit, narrowing New Jersey’s lead to one. With 2:17 to play, the Red Wings pulled Talbot from the net, forcing the Devils to defend 6-on-5. Nico Hischier took three key defensive zone faceoffs, winning all three, as the team defend their one-goal lead.

“How about Nico?,” Noesen said. “Those were three important faceoffs, we’d want no one else but him (out there). He’s been so good for us so far this season, you can tell why he’s always in the running and should be for a very long time in the Selke candidacy.”

Coach Keefe also said this to NJHockeyNow’s James Nichols:

“Obviously don’t like the way we started this game tonight. That’s something we have to address, clearly,” Keefe started. “I loved that our power play went out and reset the game for us. From there, we get down again early, we fight our way back and give ourselves a lead. Then build that lead… It’s a resilient effort for sure. Not how you want it to go. But, a lot of good things come out of it.”

While the Devils praised the resiliency that their power play gave them while speaking with NHL.com’s Dave Hogg…

“A power play can come in and get a game back for you,” Meier said. “We got some very big goals and then we were able to shut it down at the end.”

Jacob Markstrom made 25 saves for the Devils, one game after allowing three goals on 10 shots in the first period of a 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.

“[Markstrom] made some really big saves down the stretch,” New Jersey coach Shelden Keefe said. “I thought the guys did a good job of not letting much get to him.”

The Red Wings discussed both some positives…

Lucas Raymond extended his goal-scoring streak to five games, and Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist for Detroit (10-11-2).

“I’m just trying to do the same things — it is all about shooting and staying with it,” said Raymond, who scored twice in his first 18 games this season. “The puck is going in now, which is fun.”

Cam Talbot made 24 saves in his 500th NHL game.

“That’s an impressive feat — it always is — so huge credit to him,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said of Talbot reaching the milestone.

And they lamented the team’s penalty-killing:

“We had an opportunity to have a really good first period and come out with the lead, but we didn’t get it done,” Red Wings forward Tyler Motte said. “You just have to find a way to get clears and get blocks – that’s what killing (penalties) is all about.”

Coach Lalonde was blunt while speaking with Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff:

“We got to figure it out,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “It’s killing us.”

Detroit’s penalty kill fell to 66.1% on the season (43-for-65). That’s 32nd overall in the 32-team NHL.

Friday was marking the third time this season that the Wings have allowed three power-play goals in a game. They’ve given up at least one power-play goal in 14 of 23 games this season.

Lalonde was suggesting that the team will be looking at both personnel and systems in trying to determine what they can be doing better when down a man.

“It could be a little of both I think,” Lalonde said. “I think both have found a way into it not executing or performing. I have liked our personnel of late, kind of went with the (same) six (forwards). We’ve had some structure on it. But this was certainly a step back, so I think both have to be looked at.”

The Red Wings were also angry about the goaltender interference which led to Timo Meier’s 2-2 goal, as they told the Free Press’s Helene St. James…

The Wings’ unblemished record in issuing challenges took its first loss of the season after three straight successes. The Wings took issue with Dougie Hamilton’s goal at 16:05, scored 9 seconds into a penalty on Holl. They challenged goalie interference, but officials ruled that the incidental contact between the Devils’ Stefan Noesen and Talbot outside the crease before the goal did not constitute interference. The risk in challenges is that if the call isn’t overturned, the challenging team gets a penalty for delay of game. So the Wings did — and the Devils made them pay, with Timo Meier converting on a slapshot at the 18-minute mark.

Lalonde explained the Wings’ side of things after the game: “We have a rule, we only challenge if you’re 100% for the room. They were adamant. Communication from our goalie coach, our radio coaches — we’re like, 100% guaranteed. The [officials’] explanation was that Talbot initiated the contact, even though he was in the crease and their player was not, Talbot initiated the contact. I didn’t see that. He’s in the blue paint. You’re supposed to be allowed to play your position.

“I appreciate the explanation, but maybe it’s time for some artificial intelligence on goalie interferences and they should take all the calls, because I’m a little baffled by that one. Unfortunately it was a pretty big turning point.”

The Wings continued while speaking with MLive’s Ansar Khan…

Lalonde later added, “I think our group would challenge that 100 out of 100 times.”

The Red Wings (10-11-2) regained the lead on Tyler Motte’s first of the season at 1:26 of the second period. But the Devils scored the next three, the last of which, Jack Hughes’ power-play goal at 3:05 of the third, stood as the winner.

“Obviously goalie interference can go either way,” Motte said. “I think we trusted our PK to go back out and kill one and didn’t get it done. Call it a bounce there on the first one. And then sometimes you just got to find a way, really. That’s what killing is all about. Finding a way to get clears, get blocks. We just didn’t have it today. … We know it can be the difference. We got to be better.”

The Devils went 3 for 4 against the worst-rated penalty kill in the NHL (the Red Wings are at 66.2 percent).

“We got to figure it out. It’s killing us,” Lalonde said. “I will say maybe we took a step with some of our structure, but anytime you miss something a little over aggressive on a route, you don’t get a clear it’s ending up in the back of our net and is just killing our momentum.”

Neither Lucas Raymond or Motte were looking for excuses, however, as they told the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan…

“Our first 10 (minutes) in the first period was real good,” Raymond said. “We came out with good punch. Then they score on the power play.”

The Wings were 1-for-4 on the power play but allowed the Devils to score three power-play goals on four opportunities. The penalty kill, ranked 31st out of 32 teams, continues to hurt the Wings.

The first two New Jersey goals tied the game, and Hughes’ power-play goal in the third period proved to be the game-winner.

“On the penalty kill, we take a lot of pride to get it done,” said forward Tyler Motte, who scored his first goal as a Red Wing. “We had an opportunity to get out of the first period and have a lead and we didn’t get it done.”

…

“Every team we play it feels like has a lot of skilled players,” Raymond said. “The Devils have a lot of firepower up front. But if we do what we’re supposed to do, we can play against any team. Their power play was a huge part. We had some looks on our power play and we didn’t capitalize as much.”

And coach Lalonde did stop to take note of Talbot’s 500th game, which didn’t go according to plan:

“Amazing,” said Lalonde of the accomplishment. “It’s an impressive feat, it always is. We experienced one last year with Reims (James Reimer).

“Huge credit to him (Talbot), not the most highly touted goalie coming out of college and just the way he’s kind of built his career and having him here and just getting to know him this year, just the character and competitor (he is) and the talent, you can see why he’s gotten to this point and this milestone in his career.”

Among Kulfan’s notebook’s points of emphasis…

… Lucas Raymond has goals in the last five consecutive games, matching the longest such run in his NHL career. Raymond had a five-game streak in March last season.

“I’m trying to do the same things and the puck is going in, which is fun,” Raymond said. “It’s just about shooting and staying with it.”

… Vladimir Tarasenko‘s two-point (goal, assist) game Friday was his first multi-point game in a Wings’ uniform. Tarasenko has seven points (one goal, six assists) in his last nine games and seems be thriving playing on Dylan Larkin‘s line.

“Higher minutes for him and there’s a little bit of an adjustment,” Lalonde said. “He’s had some turnovers and (negative) wall play that has found him a little bit, but we’ve been very happy with Vlad. He complements those guys right now and it’s going well.”

And DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills will take us out with the following quotes:

Lalonde on Detroit’s recent play on the penalty kill: “We got to figure it out. It’s killing us. I will say, maybe we took a step with some of our structure. But it’s just any time you miss something, a little over aggressive on a route or you don’t get a clear, it’s just ending up in the back of our net.”

Raymond on how Friday’s setback: “Our first 10 [minutes] in the first [period] was really good. We came out with good punch, then obviously they score a couple on the power play. We still bounced back pretty good, then just weren’t able to finish it.”

Motte on what he saw when the Red Wings were down a man against the Devils: “Goalie interference can go either way. I think we trusted our PK to go out and kill one, and obviously didn’t get it done. Call it a bounce there on the first one, then sometimes you just got to find a way. That’s what penalty killing is all about: finding a way to get clears and blocks. We just didn’t have it today.”

Motte on if special teams was the difference in the result on Friday: “I don’t think you ever want to single out special teams. We know it’s a big part of the game, for sure. Especially on the PK, we take a lot of pride on getting it done.”

Multimedia:

Highlights: NHL.com posted a 10:03 highlight clip…