The Red Wings fall to the Canadiens 4-3 as the power play falters

Detroit’s power play struggled, failing to capitalize on four opportunities and conceding one shorthanded goal.

Timely goals kept the Detroit Red Wings playing with momentum, but their power play failed when it was needed most.

Although the Montreal Canadiens are at the bottom of the NHL standings, the atmosphere when the Red Wings face the rival Original Six at Little Caesars Arena is rarely disappointing. Friday was a festive affair, even if the Wings didn’t put in their best performance and ended up losing 4-3.

“We had chances, but we didn’t stop enough of them,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “And they get the power play in the third period and score, and we get our goal, and we don’t get it.”

“It would have been really nice to score that goal, decide the game and then take it to extra time, or score another goal in normal time. We just couldn’t do it. It would have been a nice moment to tell someone.”

Instead, Patrik Laine did it at 12:02 when he fired a slap shot through the shaft of Moritz Seider and past Cam Talbot. The Wings finished 0-for-4 due to their man advantage.

“A big part of it,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “They shot a shorty and got the power play at the end. That was a big part of the game, our inability to hit special teams.”

Now the Wings (13-15-4) have to salvage Saturday’s crucial matchup when they face the Canadiens (13-16-3) in Montreal. Friday’s loss came just as the Wings had won consecutive games for the first time in a month, once again demonstrating their inability to gain ground.

“We’re sitting here two games in a row, a great opportunity,” Lalonde said. “For 40 minutes we didn’t feel like we played our best but it was still possible to get it. We scored the third goal and then we had the mishap with the equalizer and special teams made the difference in the end.”

Among the positives on Friday was Patrick Kane continuing to show he was back on track after a slow start by scoring an early Habs goal. Joe Veleno also scored for the second straight game, less than a minute after the Habs regained the lead.

The Wings took the lead for the first time early in the third period when Michael Rasmussen put the puck in the net and Tyler Motte scored. CamTalbot, who didn’t look as good as usual in his first game back from a lower body injury, conceded a goal to Arber Xhekaj at 8:42 that made it 3-3.

“I don’t think we were on each other’s heels,” Rasmussen said. “Maybe we could have taken better care of the puck a few times.”

Candy Kane

Kane scored his fourth point in three games in spectacular fashion midway through the first period. Kane took a drop pass from Andrew Copp down the right boards, maneuvered through and around Montreal’s Lane Hutson and Kirby Dach and deflected a shot from just outside the goal line that bounced off goaltender Sam Montembeault’s right shoulder.

The score was level at 1-1 after Emil Heineman scored at 7:09.

“I think he’s increased his competition,” Larkin said of Kane. “It’s great to see. I gotta start playing with the jam he played with.”

Incredible saves

Midway through the first period, Moritz Seider made the block – or rather, the save – of the game when Evans had the puck on his stick just to the left of the net. Talbot was out of position, giving Jake Evans plenty of space, but Seider used his long reach to thwart the chance, getting his stick on the puck just in time to redirect the shot.

Not to be outdone, Montembault had a most unusual goal later in the period while the Wings were on a power play. Lucas Raymond fired a shot from behind the net that landed on the back of Montembault’s neck. He stood completely still and a teammate pounced on him and placed his glove on the puck. Normally a skater closing his hand on the puck will result in a penalty, but this only applies if the puck is on the ice.

The penalty was taken in the second period, but allowed a goal to Laine with eight minutes left in the third period.

Special teams struggle

On the Wings’ first power play late in the first period, Seider attempted a pass to Raymond, which wobbled and was intercepted by Evans, who raced into the Detroit net to give the Habs a 2-1 lead. A second power play came 2:55 into the second period, but the Wings were unable to put a single shot on net, and the third shot midway through the period didn’t add much momentum.

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