The Detroit Red Wings just did it a week ago: Go into an Atlantic Division rival’s home and leave with two points.
The Wings’ challenge Saturday is to do so against the division-leading Bruins, who are off to a 6-0-1 start, their one blemish coming Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston.
After losing to the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 on Thursday, the Wings (5-2-1) have only lost once in regulation.
That ended a six-game point streak that included beating the Senators last Saturday in Ottawa, where the Wings were the most engaged emotionally and physically they’ve been during the first two weeks of the season.
MAINE TRAGEDY: David Perron of the Wings calls the news of shootings “devastating.
I think it’s exciting, Wings forward David Perron said. “We’ve got to find a way through these games, it’s not going to be perfect all the time. That’s why I’m excited. I think heading into next game and seeing how we react.
We felt like maybe we deserved more against Seattle; I don’t know if we did that enough (against Winnipeg). It’s going to be a good test to see how we react.
It wasn’t going to be smooth sailing the whole time. For me, you get excited as you get older to find ways through these times.
Head coach Derek Lalonde said he is “not alarmed” that the Wings have lost in overtime (5-4 to the Kraken on Tuesday) and in regulation this week because we did do some pretty good things. Our looks were there, it just didn’t go in.
Connor Hellebuyck (Commerce), the goalie for Winnipeg, made 35 saves but allowed the only goal to go through due to a determined play by Lucas Raymond in the crease.
Razor had set a lofty target, according to Perron. That was precisely the topic we discussed—getting someone to use Net-front. He performed that flawlessly. That needs to be done a little bit more.
Linus Ullmark, the Vezina champion from the previous season and the league’s best goalie, will likely face the Wings. In four games for the Bruins, including Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks, Ullmark has a 1.74 goals-against average and a.937 save percentage.
We need a little more traffic,” Lalonde said. “Any good goalie, you need to crowd them and take away space.
If the Wings want to end their seven-year playoff drought, beating division opponents is key, and especially the better ones: The previous season, the Bruins not only set NHL records for points (135) and wins (65) but also won the Presidents’ Trophy.
It’s us trying to reel in these top teams in the league, Lalonde said. “And we have an opportunity on Saturday.
The Wings would be well to learn another lesson this week in addition to drawing attention to the net: keep an eye out for infractions.
They took two late penalties against the Kraken, and spent the first four minutes against the Jets shorthanded.
It’s not the best,” Perron said. “I think mine, it comes off the faceoff, it’s a high stick. Just, it is what it is sometimes. Definitely have to try to stay out of the box.
