As the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan notes in his Sunday afternoon notebook, the Red Wings have not done the greatest job of going to the front of the net and screening the opposition goaltender, so coach Jeff Blashill was particularly happy with the ways in which the Wings went to the front of the net and stayed there in Saturday’s win over Buffalo:
The Wings haven’t been scoring many “dirty goals” around the opposing team’s net, where it’s particularly physical and gritty.
But trailing 1-0, the Wings were able to take a 2-1 lead on just those types of goals from Carter Rowney and Pius Suter, just 1 minute, 19 seconds apart in the second period.
“We haven’t been a good team screening the goalie and you’re just not going to score consistently if you don’t,” Blashill said. “Tokarski has been really good for them, and he’s a real athletic goalie who can make big-time saves. You have to find ways to score dirty, especially when a goalie is feeling it.”
One Red Wing who made an impact screening Tokarski and was noticeable around the net was forward Givani Smith.
Getting playing time on a line with Robby Fabbri and Suter, Smith drew an assist on Suter’s goal and took advantage of his opportunity.
“He (Smith) has played more consistently and at a better level here in the last bit,” Blashill said. “I’ve rewarded him with more ice time on that line and he played good. He’s a big body around the net, hard around the net. He finds ways to win puck battles down low and that’s important.”
Continued; Givani Smith may not be the long-term answer to the Wings’ gritty-goal-scoring woes, but he can help the effort.