Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses coach’s Derek Lalonde’s tenuous tenure with the Red Wings:
What has to have Yzerman and the rest of the Red Wings brass more than a little concerned is Lalonde’s decision to make a coach’s challenge on New Jersey’s first goal during the Devils’ 5-4 victory over Detroit on Friday.
Certainly, it was clear there was contact between Detroit goalie Cam Talbot and Devils forward Stefan Noesen at the net front. What was appearing to be almost as clear to the naked eye was that it was Talbot moving out of the blue paint into white ice who was initiating contact with Noesen.
At the best of times, which way a goalie interference call is going to go is a toss up. In this instance, there didn’t look to be much hope of the goal being overturned.
“I think our group would challenge that 100 out of 100 times,” Lalonde insisted.
Detroit was leading 2-0 at the time of the first Devils goal. The Wings were playing a strong period up until that point. Making a decision that was putting the NHL’s worst penalty-killing unit back on the ice was a risk not worth taking. And it backfired spectacularly whrn the New Jersey power play scored again to make it 2-2.
“Unfortunately, it was a pretty big turning point,” Lalonde was admitting . . . “it was a huge momentum.”
Continued; to me, it’s a “shit happens” decision that Lalonde made, and I don’t think it’s going to cost him his job. Yet.
