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Red Wings need sleepy power play to awaken from current slumber
DETROIT — An NHL power play typically will hit some rough spots. It’s extremely rare for it to stay hot for a lengthy period of time. Too much scouting is being done, tendencies are learned.
The Red Wings were sizzling for a good, long while. But going without a goal the last two games, seven power-play attempts, has raised a red flag. And especially after a difficult 2-1 loss Saturday to Boston, a divisional opponent who the Wings have to likely pass in the standings to have a shot playoff shot.
Heading into Monday’s game on Long Island against the New York Islanders, the Wings need to get the unit going again.
“You get into (a) period where the puck might go in,” forward Lucas Raymond said. “The last two games the movement we had before hasn’t been there, and retrievals off the shots (is missing), but we know what to do to be successful and it’s just about getting back to it.”
The Wings failed on four power-play attempts Saturday against the Bruins, including in the final minute with a chance to tie the game and at least earn a point in the standings. Moritz Seider hit a crossbar off a shot from the high slot, indicative of the tough luck lately.
Captain Dylan Larkin feels the Wings need to be more crisp.
“We’re moving the puck around too much,” Larkin said. “We have to get back to attacking the net, and we didn’t do enough to set up the next guy. It was all five of us on the ice where we kind of just threw garbage around and let someone else deal with the issues They (the Bruins) kill hard, they pressure really hard.
“We just have to be cleaner, set up the next play, and give someone a good pass so they can do something with it.”
The Wings ranked sixth in the NHL at 28.1% entering Sunday, so it’s not like the power play is, or has been, a major problem. But coach Derek Lalonde did sense a passiveness that needs to be erased.
“The power play was slow,” Lalonde said. “We had good momentum and then it got to the flanks and stopped, and all that does is that allows them (opponents) to get position. When we were clicking on the power play, it was tic-tac-toe and fast moving and we’ve gotten back to very slow.”
Familiar opponent
The Wings face the Islanders for the third and final time this season.
Goaltender Alex Lyon has earned both previous victories, allowing one goal in six periods of tight, defensive-minded hockey.
Lyon and the Wings expect more of the same.
“They play hard, they always play hard, and especially in that building,” Lyon said. “When you beat someone twice, they get a bad taste in their mouth. I’m sure it’ll be a another low-event, low-scoring game. We just have to be ready.”
Lyon doesn’t think about previous success over a team, as much as maybe aspects in the arena that could affect his play.
“For me, it’s more familiarity of the arena,” Lyon said. “You feel good in a place and it does impact (the way you play). Every arena is different in terms of what it looks like. You get better as as you gain experience.”
Lyon has stopped 52 of 53 shots against the Islanders, including 22 in Thursday’s 2-1 victory. Lalonde liked the way Lyon looked in that game, no matter who the opponent was.
“It’s more to do with his last performance, and it just happened to be against the Islanders,” said Lalonde, noting this likely will be another struggle against the defensive-minded Islanders. “It’s going to be hard, not of lot of ice available. The last two games have looked similar, two teams committed to being on top, and not beating themselves.”
Ice chips
Patrick Kane and Michael Rasmussen both didn’t practice Sunday, in what Lalonde termed “maintenance days.” Both are expected to play against the Islanders.
“Both are battling something upper-body (but), hope to have both (Monday),” Lalonde said.
… Joe Veleno was a healthy scratch Saturday, his third recently. Lalonde said Veleno will be in Monday’s lineup, but Veleno needs to improve his “assertiveness. (Being) hard to play against, win some battles. He gets a little passive in his game and there are times when he’s assertive with his game and he’s a very effective player. That’s his challenge when he goes back in there again and I would expect getting him back in no matter what the scenario is with Kane and Ras.”
… Saturday’s first-period assist on Raymond’s goal was Larkin’s 300th NHL assist. Larkin is the 15th Wings’ player and 12th Michigan-born NHL player to reach the milestone.
