The Athletic’s Max Bultman posted a column discussing 5 Red Wings-related thoughts this morning, and here’s his most positive take:
If there was a bright spot Sunday, it was probably the play of two Jonatan Berggren and Marco Kasper, the youngest Red Wings. Kasper had two assists, and while his game will always likely be more about winning races and puck battles, it’s significant to see him getting rewarded on the scoresheet for some of that.
In particular, Vladimir Tarasenko’s third-period goal (a go-ahead goal at the time) came on a slick play by Kasper through the neutral zone, corralling a pass and then maneuvering for a controlled entry and drop-off to Berggren rather than a dump-in. That’s something the Red Wings have needed more of, and it resulted in a beautiful setup by Berggren for a classic Tarasenko finish.
The play by Berggren, a cross-ice feed across the slot, was a sign that his confidence is returning, too — which makes sense after he scored on a big rebound in the first period for his fourth goal in the last 10 games. Sitting this deep into the season with just four goals and six points still certainly isn’t ideal for a player whose biggest contributions are supposed to be on the scoreboard.
But the chances are coming, and increasingly, they’re ending up in the net.
Continued (paywall)
