HFNHL Red Wings
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Detroit had recently announced that they would use a particular 5 game stretch as a measuring stick for their performance and indicator of things to come. The games included matches with the Senators, Lightning, Wild, Flyers and Blues which provided an adequate diversity in not only skill sets but styles of play.
While a 2-2-1 record may sound reasonable that result masked some significant failings which included ...
(i) Failure to play a full 60 minutes of hockey - In both the loss to the Senators and the tie with the Flyers the team entered the 3rd period with respectable leads only to watch it slip away.
(ii) Ability to keep shots against down - The Wings were outshot by their opponents in 9 out of 15 periods and gave up 10 or more shots in a single period 5 times.
(iii) Inconsistency in offensive effort from any line other than the 1st - While all lines do contribute it is often characteristed as an offensive explosion in a single game to be followed by two or three games where the line contribues little or nothing. Example The second line potted 4 goals against the Lightning but only scored once in the following 3 games.
Worse yet the Wings did not even have to face their opponents best lineups with the Senators having two key players out injured and played against the Flyers where Irbe started while Hasek rested.
On the bright side the Wings concluded the 5 game span with a victory over conference rival St. Louis. Much as the Blackhawks have mysteriously beaten the Wings over the past couple of years the Wings have been able to count on victories over the Blues for at least 3 seasons now.
This victory was no less strange as any of the others as St. Louis controlled most of the play. Fortunatley Nikolai Khabibulin was under worked, he only faced 9 shots in the first two periods, and was never able to get into a groove allowing the Wings to capitalize on their few opportunities.
Decisions and action are expected from the team soon as to whether they will look to address these gaps through trade or stay the course of retooling.
While a 2-2-1 record may sound reasonable that result masked some significant failings which included ...
(i) Failure to play a full 60 minutes of hockey - In both the loss to the Senators and the tie with the Flyers the team entered the 3rd period with respectable leads only to watch it slip away.
(ii) Ability to keep shots against down - The Wings were outshot by their opponents in 9 out of 15 periods and gave up 10 or more shots in a single period 5 times.
(iii) Inconsistency in offensive effort from any line other than the 1st - While all lines do contribute it is often characteristed as an offensive explosion in a single game to be followed by two or three games where the line contribues little or nothing. Example The second line potted 4 goals against the Lightning but only scored once in the following 3 games.
Worse yet the Wings did not even have to face their opponents best lineups with the Senators having two key players out injured and played against the Flyers where Irbe started while Hasek rested.
On the bright side the Wings concluded the 5 game span with a victory over conference rival St. Louis. Much as the Blackhawks have mysteriously beaten the Wings over the past couple of years the Wings have been able to count on victories over the Blues for at least 3 seasons now.
This victory was no less strange as any of the others as St. Louis controlled most of the play. Fortunatley Nikolai Khabibulin was under worked, he only faced 9 shots in the first two periods, and was never able to get into a groove allowing the Wings to capitalize on their few opportunities.
Decisions and action are expected from the team soon as to whether they will look to address these gaps through trade or stay the course of retooling.
