Last time, on
Red Wings
hockey [insert montage] we had a lot of shots on net, played respectably well, had some punches thrown between best friends, but did not score enough goals (and have yet to score on the powerplay at all).
We’re onto the second half of our back2back against the Blue Jackets and this also marks the end of our homestand before we hit the road for Chicago.
First Period
Just to make us all look like fools, even more than usual, Jeff Blashill has fired up the ol’ line blender.
SPOILER ALERT:
Nothing happened the entire period and Mickey Redmond didn’t say anything particularly funny.
For a more detailed look at “nothing”...
Wings look to have a bit more jump at the start but the Jackets are picking it up and have the edge in shots 5 to our 1. Lots of back and forth, which is code for “nothing exciting”, but only Bernier is a busy goalie. Ryan, Mantha and Nielsen (yes, really) have what might be the first real rush for the Wings. Nielsen missed the net, but he tried.
Really long shift for Zadina but he’s looking good again, and gets knocked over by the bench for his trouble. Can you tell there is still nothing going on in the game so far and I’m just saying random things to fill space like it’s a school essay?
“Nielsen sees Filppula going-” and his pass was way off. I audibly laughed.
Random Observation: Bert and Brome is quite the hair combo to have on the same line.
Nielsen shoots again, hits the goalposts. He is determined to prove Ken Daniels wrong and that he is worth picking in LightTheLamp.
Nothing happened. Not really anything came close to happening. No news is good news?
Mickey Redmond Quote of the Period: _______________
I didn’t catch him saying anything particularly fun, did you?
Second Period
Here we go, let’s do something! (SPOILER ALERT: THINGS HAPPEN)
Ok, not what I meant. Less than 2 minutes in and Boone Jenner snipes one from the dot into the top corner making it
1-0 Columbus
.
But good news, Zadina immediately gets hooked and DuBois heads to the Bad Boy Box.
Powerplay time!
They start the powerplay in bold fashion by immediately letting Robinson break in on Bernier who makes the save. Bernier finds himself in the net but keeps the puck out.
The fake crowd is getting restless but the Wings start getting their passing going and Mantha takes a few tries and finally gets a nice bounce off of Larkin’s shot off Bert’s skate leaving a wide open net.
GOAL! MANTHAMANIA! WE’RE TIED 1-1!
That seems to have lit a fire and the Red Wings are showing that #hustle.
Staal takes a hooking penalty with 11 minutes to go and
we’re on the penalty kill.
Bernier makes a sassy snappy save which makes me happy. Zadina, Mantha and Larkin are on the ice together for a little bit. Zadina continues to make nifty little plays and is looking real good over these first few games.
Clank. Larkin hits the crossbar.
AND THEN BOBBY RYAN SCORES! 2-1 Wings!
Top corner again. 5 minutes to go and the fake crowd has the LGRW chant going.. Ryan scores 4 goals in his first 3 games with the Red Wings, which is a random thing that no other player has done in Wings history.
As of this moment, 9pm EST on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, Bobby Ryan leads the NHL in goals. And nobody picked him in Light the Lamp. Idiots.
That’ll do it for the second, Wings head to the third with a one goal lead.
Mickey Redmond Quote of the Period: “That. Is the best f*ckin powerplay the Detroit Red Wings have had. In four games...”
Some will claim he said “lookin” but they are wrong.
Third Period
Observation: Ryan, Rasmussen and Mantha together make one large line.
Columbus scores a but of a weird goal 5 minutes in. Tie game. Blash challenging for goaltender interference. Staal was in the crease and Foudy may have had his stick tied up with Bernier. Seems like a weak case for interference and it was.
The call stands and we’re on the penalty kill tied 2-2.
Penalty killed!
Uh-oh, Bobby Ryan goes hobbling off the ice, looks like it might be a groin pull. He’s not gone for long and seems to be ok.
That is about all the excitement we get for the rest of the period and just like that there’s 2 minutes to go. Time flies when the game is tied. Shots are also well matched, their 24 to our 22. We have the edge in faceoffs 25-14 after dominating the second period 14-5.
At no point have the Wings looked outmatched or like they’re falling apart, it’s really great to see even if not always “exciting”.
Time’s up and we’re headed to BONUS HOCKEY!
Mickey Redmond Quote of the Period: “In-teh-ference. That’s in English and French, interference. In-teh-ference. Same thing. The same ting. Way to go Justin St. Pierre. God bless ya man.”
OVERTIME
Here we go, first OT of the season! It’s been a long time. We start with Larkin-Bert-Hronek vs. Atkinson-Domi-Jones.
AND THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE FOLKS. 15 seconds in and Bertuzzi redirects Larkin’s shot with his...upper thigh. Journey is playing. Life is good.
Full box score at NHL.com