Tough part for him was he was actually put in that position by his best friend tripping him down. I mean Larkin was the reason he was down on the ice to get clobbered by AA's shot.
I think trading one of AA or Mantha for a big return defensively and a message at this point is going to happen. I believe it will be AA that is used to send that message. Even while they are bad you're going to play the right way is probably something that needs to be established up front. This isn't Buffalo or Edmonton where you can do whatever and get the same ice-time. That they don't send that message as often to Mantha who has been better over the course of the season than AA leads me to believe AA will be the guy that is established with.
So bored of the right way yesterday.
You know who had the worst night, in terms of defense, as the Wings coughed up the lead?
Dylan Larkin.
Detroit leads 4-1
Larkin takes a slashing penalty. PP goal Columbus.
Watch the Milano goal to make it 4-3 in the third.
There's a lot of blame to go around here. Kronwall starts it all with a clearing pass that goes to a BJ.
AA follows two defense into the corner.
He trips. For some reasons, he slides along on his knees instead of getting up. Then he stands still and covers nobody.
Jensen and Larkin then both leave their feet to play the pass leaving nobody to take the shooter, who gets the shot. Since both Larkin and Jensen are on their knees, they can't do anything about the juicy rebound Howard gave up.
On the Panarin goal, Larkin charges straight too aggressively at Panarin for a PK, who simply skates around him, and then between Daley and Ericsson for the goal.
Now look. People can pretend that AA and Mantha are the only guys that make dumb plays. That they're the only guys who get lazy defensively. Who get lazy mentally.
But this year I've seen Zetterberg do it. I've seen Larkin do it. I've seen every Red Wing make lazy plays.