The Detroit Red Wings advanced to 14-13-and-3, snapping a 3-game losing streak thanks to a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

The Red Wings got goals from Dylan Larkin and Michael Rasmussen, a fine 33-save performance from Alex Nedeljkovic, and the Wings played relatively well over the course of the game’s first 50-or-so minutes, receiving a necessary bail-out from “Ned” as the game wound down and Detroit’s energy seemed to waiver a bit.

Overall, it wasn’t a perfect game by any means, but the Red Wings got the lead, built upon it, and held it, and they weren’t able to do any of those things in their 3 previous games.

Now we wait and see as to whether the Carolina Hurricanes will be able to cobble together a roster for Thursday’s scheduled game in Raleigh.

Anyway, regarding Tuesday night’s game, our friends from Long Island felt that they waited too long to get started, and came on too late, as NewYorkIslanders.com’s Sasha Kandrach noted:

FYI:

Jeff Blashill says Red Wings will practice Wednesday and prepare to go to Carolina until they hear otherwise. Hurricanes had Tuesday game postponed because of pandemic protocol.— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) December 15, 2021

We will have more in the 2nd intermission of the Leafs/Oilers game. Pending final decision from a medical conf call involving NHL and PA doctors, it’s likely enhanced protocols will be implemented on a League-wide basis for a period of time. Final details being worked out.— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 15, 2021

The Detroit Red Wings attempted to snap a 3-game losing streak as they hosted the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena.

Detroit managed to win a 2-1 decision over a plucky, tenacious New York Islanders team, advancing to 14-12-and-3 thanks to goals from Dylan Larkin and Michael Rasmussen, a fine set of assists from Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond (on the 1st goal) and Adam Erne (on the 2nd), and a TREMENDOUS job by Alex Nedeljkovic, who stopped 32 of 33 shots, including a last-second game-tying attempt.

Of note from Bally Sports Detroit…

The kids are prospering, the time is now. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/DanlkgdXf8— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) December 15, 2021

And the NHL:

Moritz Seider recorded his 20th career point (3-17—20 in 29 GP). He required the third-fewest games by a rookie defenseman to reach the mark with the @DetroitRedWings behind Nicklas Lidstrom (22 GP) and Jeff Sharples (26 GP).#NHLStats: https://t.co/GmoeSVNw6v pic.twitter.com/vbN2MHuiGg— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 15, 2021

DetroitRedWings.com’s Brett McWethy got in on the Robby Fabbri article parade this afternoon, discussing the 25-year-old’s 3-year extension with Detroit:

What’s impressed Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill about Fabbri is that he plays “extraordinarily hard.” It’s an edge that Fabbri quickly regained after fully recovering from his injuries shortly after arriving in Detroit and having a conversation with Blashill about avoiding to play “careful.”

“Everybody in this league plays hard, but he’s, I think, played extraordinarily hard, and I think that’s who he is as a person,” Blashill said. “I think this year especially, from the drop of the puck in training camp, from the first practice, he’s done an excellent job of really, really competing on a day-to-day basis.

“To me, then he gets to use his skillset and he can really shoot the puck in the net, and he’s got good hockey smarts. He can separate himself with that competitiveness, that’s what he’s gotta do.”

abbri had previously inked a deal with the Red Wings, signing a two-year contact in August 2020. Now, the 25-year-old is a long-term piece of the Red Wings’ youthful group that is aiming to send Detroit back to the postseason.

“Not only Bert, Larks, myself; it’s a full team effort in there,” Fabbri said. “Whatever everyone brings every night and every single day in practice is what’s helping us grow, become a little more consistent. We still got room for improvement; we all know that in that room, and what we gotta work on. But it’s fun coming to the rink every day and doing it with these guys.”

Continued

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted a subscriber-only article discussing Robby Fabbri’s extension with the Red Wings:

Fabbri was part of a Stanley Cup winner in St. Louis and he’s carrying on with that winning approach as a Red Wing.

“I think for a player to help you win long term, one he’s gotta be a winner of a person,” Blashill explained. “He’s gotta be committed to winning above everything else, and I think Robby’s that. Two, he’s gotta be the type of player that can win when it gets tough and hard and I think Robby can do that.

“Robby’s shown us that not only is he a guy that could help us over the last couple of years but can also help us win as we try to move up the standings.”

At 25, he fits right in with much of the veteran core forwards who figure to be around when the good times arrive again for the Red Wings. Larkin and Suter are also 25. Bertuzzi and Adam Erne are 26. It certainly wasn’t hurting Fabbri’s cause that neither of Detroit’s 2018 first-round draft picks – Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno – have proven yet that they can be consistent offensive producers at the NHL level.

It’s entirely possible that as the talent pool deepens in Detroit, Fabbri may slide down into a third-line role. Whatever the case, it’s clear now that Fabbri is going to part of the Red Wings rebuild over the long haul, and that prospect is exciting to him.

“What everyone brings every single night and every day at practice is what’s helping us grow and become a little more consistent,” Fabbri said. “We still got room for improvement, we all know that and what we got to work on but it’s fun coming to the rink every day.”

Continued (paywall)

From the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe on Twitter: The Grand Rapids Griffins recalled Kaden Fulcher from the ECHL today, so the Toledo Walleye made a move:

The @ToledoWalleye have signed goalie Kade Phipps as an emergency backup. The St. Francis graduate also was with the Kalamazoo Wings as an EBUG. Phipps led the Knights to the state semifinals as a senior in 2016.@SFSAthletics @toledosports pic.twitter.com/hHOMkTIEV8

— Mark Monroe (@MonroeBlade) December 14, 2021

The Walleye play games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday; Billy Christopoulos may start all three games.

Of Red Wings prospect-related note in Europe today:

William Wallinder finished at -1 with 1 shot and a penalty minute played as Rogle BK lost 3-1 to Sparta Prague, but Rogle advanced to the semifinals against Frolunda HC on aggregate goals…

And Elmer Soderblom scored a goal and added an assist for 2 points, finishing at +1 with 3 shots in 12:44 played as Frolunda HC tied Leskands IF 3-3, but advanced on aggregate goals:

Highlights of Elmer Söderblom’s game today against Leksand in the Champions Hockey League, where he had 1 goal, 1 assist, hit 1 post, and had another assist on a disallowed goal. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/8OlWiH39YT— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) December 14, 2021

The Grand Rapids Griffins posted their weekly notebook today:

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a notebook article regarding Robby Fabbri signing a 3-year, $12 million contract extension with the Red Wings yesterday evening:

In St. Louis, despite being a first-round pick in 2014 and being part of the 2019 Stanley Cup champion, Fabbri saw his playing time dwindle and his spot on the depth chart insecure after two major knee surgeries.

Coming to the Wings was an opportunity to spark his career.

“I was excited, a fresh start over here,” Fabbri said of his reaction to the trade, and immediate impact (he scored two power-play goals his first game). “There were some familiar faces (Fabbri was a junior teammate of Tyler Bertuzzi) and it was exciting. Things got off to a good start, and it’s been great ever since.

“Basically I was just trying to get my career on track and playing to the level I know I can play at.”

The progress the Wings have shown this season, along with the growing excitement around Little Caesars Arena fans, excites Fabbri.

“The fans have been great,” Fabbri said. “We’ve been feeding off what they’ve been feeling this year. We’re feeling the same way in the room. We’re just trying to get better and it’s fun to be with this group right now and working towards what we want to be in the future.”

Continued