R.I.P Ville HUSSO, why now Detroit Red Wings goaltender is…..
Red Wings 6, Lightning 4: “Things Just Went Right Today”
It was far from a perfect performance, but Detroit traded punches with an Atlantic giant in the Lightning and emerged triumphant in an exhilarating home opener victory
Just before the midpoint of the first period, Jake Walman and Joe Veleno found themselves on a 2-on-0 behind the Tampa Bay Lightning’s defense. Veleno fed Walman for a one-timer at the back post, but Jonas Johansson turned the shot aside. Within 15 seconds, Tampa connected on a counter-attack, and Victor Hedman fed Steven Stamkos for a one-timer that found its mark. It was the kind of opportunity that doesn’t come around often, and instead of producing a Red Wing goal, the chance wound up in the Detroit net
Except some forty-five minutes of game time later, the Red Wings had another 2-on-0.
This time, it was captain Dylan Larkin barreling down the wing, having stripped Brandon Hagel in the defensive zone and charged past a flat-footed Mikhail Sergachev into the neutral zone.
To his left raced Alex DeBrincat. Behind him, Hagel raced to atone for his turnover on the back-check. Larkin dished left for DeBrincat, and the winger—playing in his first home game back in his home state for the team he grew up cheering on—left no doubt with his one-timed shot, depositing his second goal of the evening
The goal lifted Detroit to a 5-3 lead, and the clock showed 15:16 to play in the third.
Tampa would keep pressing and cut the lead to one with a Hedman goal with 10:21 to play, but the lead held. As time expired, Mortiz Seider struck the empty net from his own zone. Red Wings 6, Lightning 4. Final.
It’s the best building in the NHL, and when the fans are going like that—It’s gonna be really special when there’s big hockey games, and tonight was a little sneak peek of that,” said Larkin after the game.
“I loved our offense tonight,” said Lalonde. “We just had six or seven really uncharacteristic plays that led to easy offense for them, which was unfortunate. We’ll hopefully grow from that.”
For much of the opening forty minutes, it was a game of traded chances and end-to-end offense. Detroit carried a significant advantage in shots throughout the evening (the final tally was 42-26), but the Lightning seemed capable of finding joy at their leisure in transition.
Daniel Sprong nabbed the game’s opener at the 5:11 mark of the first. DeBrincat pulled a loose puck off the wall and fired it on net. Johansson kept it out by the thinnest of margins, leaving the puck resting behind him on the goal line. Sprong pounced, and, for the second time in as many games, the Dutch-born sniper found himself a greasy
goal.
image caption
Oct 14, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin celebrates a goal by right wing Alex DeBrincat against Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson during first-period action on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan. Mandatory Credit: Kirthmon F. Dozier-USA TODAY Sports
Red Wings 6, Lightning 4: “Things Just Went Right Today”
It was far from a perfect performance, but Detroit traded punches with an Atlantic giant in the Lightning and emerged triumphant in an exhilarating home opener victory
SAM STOCKTONOCT 14, 2023 11:48 PM EDT
Just before the midpoint of the first period, Jake Walman and Joe Veleno found themselves on a 2-on-0 behind the Tampa Bay Lightning’s defense. Veleno fed Walman for a one-timer at the back post, but Jonas Johansson turned the shot aside. Within 15 seconds, Tampa connected on a counter-attack, and Victor Hedman fed Steven Stamkos for a one-timer that found its mark. It was the kind of opportunity that doesn’t come around often, and instead of producing a Red Wing goal, the chance wound up in the Detroit net.
Except some forty-five minutes of game time later, the Red Wings had another 2-on-0.
This time, it was captain Dylan Larkin barreling down the wing, having stripped Brandon Hagel in the defensive zone and charged past a flat-footed Mikhail Sergachev into the neutral zone.
To his left raced Alex DeBrincat. Behind him, Hagel raced to atone for his turnover on the back-check. Larkin dished left for DeBrincat, and the winger—playing in his first home game back in his home state for the team he grew up cheering on—left no doubt with his one-timed shot, depositing his second goal of the evening.
The goal lifted Detroit to a 5-3 lead, and the clock showed 15:16 to play in the third.
Tampa would keep pressing and cut the lead to one with a Hedman goal with 10:21 to play, but the lead held. As time expired, Mortiz Seider struck the empty net from his own zone. Red Wings 6, Lightning 4. Final.
“Things just went right today,” said DeBrincat with a grin at the Red Wings’ post-game presser. “Backdoor passes are pretty easy to put in.”
It wasn’t the home opener head coach Derek Lalonde might have wanted—too many turnovers, too much chaos, too many rush chances heading Ville Husso’s way. But for the sold out crowd of 19, 515 at Little Caesars Arena, you couldn’t have scripted a better opening night.
“It’s the best building in the NHL, and when the fans are going like that—It’s gonna be really special when there’s big hockey games, and tonight was a little sneak peek of that,” said Larkin after the game.
“I loved our offense tonight,” said Lalonde. “We just had six or seven really uncharacteristic plays that led to easy offense for them, which was unfortunate. We’ll hopefully grow from that.”
For much of the opening forty minutes, it was a game of traded chances and end-to-end offense. Detroit carried a significant advantage in shots throughout the evening (the final tally was 42-26), but the Lightning seemed capable of finding joy at their leisure in transition.
Daniel Sprong nabbed the game’s opener at the 5:11 mark of the first. DeBrincat pulled a loose puck off the wall and fired it on net. Johansson kept it out by the thinnest of margins, leaving the puck resting behind him on the goal line. Sprong pounced, and, for the second time in as many games, the Dutch-born sniper found himself a greasy goal.
Stamkos’ equalizer off Walman and Veleno’s failed 2-on-0 bid came three minutes later, and Hagel lifted the Lightning to a 2-1 lead 12:52 into the period—slipping behind the Red Wing defense after Olli Maatta fired a shot into his shin pads.
Tampa’s lead—its only lead of the evening—proved short-lived. Within two minutes, DeBrincat had Detroit back to level terms via a high-ice wrist shot that deflected off a Bolt on the way to Johansson before finding twine.
