Author: George Malik

Per the Red Wings:

UPDATE: The Detroit #RedWings today reassigned defenseman Dan Renouf to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins from the team’s taxi squad.

?: https://t.co/OD2dOCYDt4 pic.twitter.com/KR6rd3B4fX— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2022

The Detroit Red Wings lost a disappointing and frustrating 3-1 decision to the Washington Capitals last night, beginning a stretch of 32 days in which the team plays on an average of once every other day.

This morning, MLive’s Ansar Khan filed his game recap, which notes that the Wings were frustrated with their inability to close out Friday night’s game, but relatively satisfied with their overall play:

“I thought we played well enough to win the hockey game, put ourselves in position to win,” Blashill said. “You’re super-disappointed. You want to find a way to win the game. We’re sitting there with the game to be had. Unfortunately, they made the play late and we didn’t.”

The Red Wings (15-14-3) hadn’t played since Dec. 18, having had four games postponed due to an excessive number of COVID-19 cases. They had 11 players in protocol at one point; all except for Nick Leddy returned this week and played in this game.

The Capitals (20-6-7) returned to action in Thursday’s 5-3 victory over Nashville.

“It was physical, emotional, tight-checking,” Red Wings defenseman Marc Staal said. “We were right there. It’s a tough way to lose it at the end for sure. After that long of a break and with guys in and out of protocols, I liked our effort and our intensity and our emotion. It’s something that we’ve got to repeat.”

Staal likely wasn’t alone among Red Wings questioning why Fabbri was called for a penalty at that stage of the game.

“It’s five minutes left, and a lot of stuff was going on during the game. I thought it was a tough time to call a penalty,” Staal said. “But it is what it is, and we got to try to kill it, and we (essentially) didn’t.”

Continued; I’m still confused as to what Fabbri was called for, and as several of you noted on Twitter last night, it was a shame that the Capitals were given a center-ice faceoff after an intentional offside on their power play, ultimately facilitating the play that led to Ovechkin’s goal.

The Detroit Red Wings lost a 3-1 decision to the Washington Capitals on Friday night, losing what was a tighter game than the score, due to a penalty that was either needless and stupid by Robby Fabbri, needless and stupid by the refs, who’d been given a bee under their bonnet by the chirping Caps after Moritz Seider got off Scot free from hitting Nic Dowd (unsportsmanlike conduct penalties aside), or maybe it was a little bit of both.

In any case, it was a bitter way to end what was in fact a good half-season for 15-14-and-3 Detroit, and Seider put on a masterclass in terms of poise as fellow Super-Rookie Lucas Raymond struggled a bit coming off the COVID list.

It was a game where a little more sustained offense, a little more discipline, and a little more finish would have given the Red Wings at least a point, if not two, but there are still apparently lessons that this year’s team needs to learn, and, shit, man, if the Capitals aren’t a team that teaches you lessons the hard way, I don’t know what team is a sterner teacher out there.

All of that being said, this makes Sunday’s matinee game vs. the Boston Bruins, who sit 5 points behind the Wings with six games in hand, absolutely monumental in terms of shifting the balance of power for that Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference standings, and even if you and I don’t believe that the Wings will make the playoffs (and I don’t), keeping the B’s off the Wings’ tails for a longer period of time would at least feel good.

That’s something that’s in short supply in Detroit sports these days.

Anyway, Friday’s “learning experience” for the Red Wings in terms of consistency of effort was yet another exclamation point upon a fantastic career for Alex Ovechkin, whose goal was–then wasn’t–then was again his 275th power play goal, breaking Dave Andreychuk’s record for the all-time power play goals record.

Of Red Wings prospect-related note in North America on Friday:

In the ECHL, Billy Christopoulos stopped 34 of 36 shots as the Toledo Walleye won their “Winterfest” outdoor game, winning 7-2 over the Indy Fuel at Fifth Third Field. Here’s a highlight clip from the game:

Elsewhere, in the WHL, Cross Hanas missed the Portland Winterhawks’ 2-0 win over Seattle;

In NCAA Hockey, neither Robert Mastrosimone nor Chase Bradley played in the Boston University Terriers’ 5-1 win over Brown;

And in the University of Denver Pioneers’ 7-2 win over Alaska Anchorage:

Antti Tuomisto finished at +4 with 3 shots on goal;

Shai Buium finished at -1 with 3 shots on goal;

And Carter Mazur had an assist, finishing even with 2 shots on goal.

The Grand Rapids Griffins won a bit of a “fast and loose” game against the Milwaukee Admirals by a 5-4 tally on New Year’s Eve, with a shorthanded Griffins team (which dressed 14 skaters) prevailing thanks to a goal by Riley Barber.

The Griffins’ website posted a recap…

Milwaukee Admirals 4 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 5

Dec. 31, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Overcoming a depleted roster that dressed only 14 skaters – four shy of a full lineup – due to COVID protocols, injuries and NHL callups, the Grand Rapids Griffins gritted their way to a 5-4 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday in their 24th annual New Year’s Eve celebration at Van Andel Arena.

Victor Brattstrom earned his first AHL win, stopping 29 of 33 Admirals shots, for a Grand Rapids team that played just its second game since Dec. 11 due to a string of recent postponements. Seth Barton and Josh Dickinson netted their first goals as Griffins, helping the home team improve to 12-10-1-1 all time on New Year’s Eve.

The Detroit Red Wings hoped to ring in the New Year on a happy note, taking on the offensive powerhouse known as the Washington Capitals at Little Caesars Arena on New Year’s Eve.

The Red Wings got screwed by disjointed play and they got screwed by the refs, who afforded Washington a late 3rd period power play which resulted in an Ovechkin goal. Ultimately, Detroit did not do enough to continue their excellent start, and they lost 3-1 to the pesky, talented Capitals. See below for more:

The Griffins host Milwaukee at 6 PM tonight:

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen prepares us for New Year’s Day with a top 10 list of the best things to happen to the Red Wings in 2021:

1. Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider Arrive: General manager Steve Yzerman’s first two first-round picks made the big club this fall and had instant impact. These two players are the foundation blocks of Detroit’s rebuild. Seider is already the team’s No. 1 defenseman and Raymond is the team’s most dangerous goal scorer.

Neither player was ranked No. 1 in their draft year, but both could end up as the best players from their draft class.

When Seider is fully developed, he will be a beastly force offensively and defensively. He can hit, defend, lead, create offense and score goals. Watch him closely: you will see a smart player who helps his team win in a variety of ways.

Raymond has a Brett Hull-quick shot release. But long-time Red Wings executive Jim Devellano told Detroit Hockey Now that Raymond reminds him “a little bit” of Yzerman.

2. Yzerman Drafts Simon Edvinsson: Yzerman did it again last summer. He drafted defenseman Edvinsson sixth overall and the player has a chance to become the best player selected in the draft. He is having a memorable season in Sweden’s top league. He’s 6-foot-4 and can skate magnificently. He takes more offensive risks than Seider.

Before the recent World Junior Championship was postponed, Seider scored a coast-to-coast shorthanded goal against Russia that put his skating on display. He created a takeaway at his blue line and then flew up the ice.

Edvinsson is still a raw teenager. But rival teams believe Edvinsson will end up playing for the Red Wings next season, even if he starts the season in Grand Rapids.

Continued

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a meaty notebook article this afternoon, and he discusses both Moritz Seider’s instincts and the future of one Joe Veleno (among other topics):

Blashill has been pleased with the way rookie defenseman Moritz Seider has learned when to rush up the ice, and when to lay back, basically knowing when there is a prime scoring opportunity and when there isn’t.

“He has great hockey instincts,” Blashill said. “The goal against New Jersey (last game before the break), it was the (Tyler) Bertuzzi goal, when he (Seider) stood up in the neutral zone to pick off the pass. He’s done that a number of times. He’s like a safety in football, he reads where the puck is going and he’s able to meet the puck and pick it off and go up the ice and make a play.

“He’s definitely made some real good players, maybe they are subtle, but they are elite-level plays.”

… With all the Wings’ forwards now back and healthy, there will be a question of what to do with Joe Veleno. Unless Veleno can carve out a regular spot in the lineup, it’s doubtful the Wings will let him sit or play few minutes, when he can play big, meaningful minutes in Grand Rapids.

“That’s a conversation between myself and (general manager) Steve (Yzerman),” Blashill said. “Steve would ask me where I’d have him and then ultimately if Steve thinks it’s best for him to develop with more ice, depending on where I have him and what roles I have him slotted in, then certainly he might make that decision to say, ‘If that’s the case then I want to send him down.’

“Ultimately, we want Joe to develop. So whatever is best for Joe’s development is what we’ll ultimately decide and that’s for further conversation.”

Continued

Ken Kal and Carley Johnston preview tonight’s game in a 14-minute video: