Looking at the lines, it looks like Svechnikov isn’t playing. I wonder why?
Oh, that’s why.
I’m ready for a good performance from the Red Wings. I am, however, determined to enjoy tonight. So I have some things in my back pocket if the team doesn’t perform.
Vrana starts the game, and Rasmussen nearly hit him for what could have been a breakaway, but the pass is knocked away. Boy, what a start that would have been.
Because the Wings are going 11-7 tonight, we see Vrana get an early shift with Larkin and Zadina.
The first really good chance of the game comes from Rasmussen driving the net and throwing a backhand towards the goal. Larkin shot the rebound through the crease.
Newcomer Richard Panik has a good chance, but he’s tripped up after he shoots and goes heavily into the boards. He pops up and nearly has another chance.
Greiss makes a big save on Dach, after the forward hit the post on Chicago’s best chance of the game so far. Correction: Keith hit the first post.
I think I’ve seen the PointsBet commercial literally every commercial break so far.
Sam Gagner makes a really nice move to get away from his defender and hits the post.
Chicago gets on the board first. The entire Detroit team ended up on one side of the ice, and the puck came to Duncan Keith, who was wide open and shot it past Thomas Greiss who was diving back into position, and nearly got it. 1-0 Chicago.
Danny DeKeyser nearly gave Chicago a goal with a horrible pass that didn’t get out of the defensive zone. Chicago didn’t score, but oh man that was a bad pass.
A one minute period of time passes in which I counted at least 3 penalties, but neither team gets a power play in the first period as time expires.
Detroit mostly kept Chicago from getting scoring chances, except for that one time.
But I’m still doing good. Why? I told you I had things in my back pocket:
This is Simba and Cooper. They’re finally fully vaccinated. Hugging for the first time in over a year. Both 14/10 heartwarming as h*ck pic.twitter.com/rm8KUne0tp
— WeRateDogs® (@dog_rates) April 15, 2021
Adam Erne seems dead set on tying the game. First he nearly picks up an assist, then nearly scores a goal. Unfortunately, “nearly” doesn’t count.
Zadina takes a stick in the face, and Detroit goes to the game’s first power play. Vrana is on the ice for the power play. Filppula and Namestnikov also are, for some reason.
The power play looks pretty terrible until Hronek takes a penalty on a shorthanded chance, at which time it looks pretty over.
Troy Stecher scores! He shoots from past the circles, and it hits Lankinen in the shoulder and goes up and over him before dropping into the net. Definitely one of the strangest goals this year, but I’ll take it. 1-1.
The Wings kill the Chicago power play, but then end up with too many men on the ice, and that’s still not legal, so they go right back to the penalty kill.
The Wings kill the penalty and then the roof would have come off if the arena was full because VRANA SCORES ON A BREAKAWAY! Just like they planned. Take a bench minor, put Vrana in the box, spring him on a breakaway and watch him score. It was a goal scorer’s goal, he picked the corner and Lankinen had no chance. Lindstrom made a great pass to hit Vrana in stride.
To quote one of my favorite actors/comedians:
Dekeyser hits a Red Wings streaking to the net, who tucks it into an open net after Lankinen collided with a teammate. Troy Stecher?!?! What was he doing there? Who cares, because he’s the one who scores, and this game got so much better in the last 5 minutes.
Vrana nearly got his second of the night, and Detroit is buzzing. That’s putting it too mildly, they are positively swarming.
Oops, we did it again. Another bench minor for too many men on the ice, but I think this is a sneaky trick to try to get Vrana another breakaway. They ended up putting Panik in the box, and it didn’t work because Helm and Glendening dumped the puck up after Detroit killed the penalty.
Detroit ends the period still leading 3-1.
If you didn’t watch the game, you’re probably wondering how Vrana looked. Other than scoring the goal, he’s looked pretty good so far, especially for his first game with a new team. He just took the puck from behind his own net and skated to the offensive blueline before flipping it into the zone and chasing it down himself. His skating and skill level is noticeable.
Larkin made a power move to the net and fed Zadina, who was wide open, but couldn’t get a stick on the puck. Helm got the puck next and frantically swung at it, but wasn’t able to hit it. Then, Detroit had a few chances in quick succession. Chicago is opening things up, and Detroit has responded with some great offensive play of their own.
Red Wings legend Adam Erne nearly picks up another point as he floats a good pass to Glendening on a two-on-one, but Chicago broke it up.
I don’t want to not mention Greiss. He’s been excellent tonight.
7 minutes left, and Erne nearly scored again. He does a great job of getting to the dirty areas of the ice.
The net is empty, and Rasmussen scores off a feed from Adam Erne! Erne made a really nice defensive play to get the puck. I wasn’t sure how many dog pictures I would need to find before this game started, but it turned out to only be the one!
Red Wings win! Woooooo!
(If you don’t get the headline reference, here you go: