Red Wings Enter All-Star Break On Five-Game Win Streak
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Despite giving away a three-goal lead in the third period, the Detroit Red Wings won again Tuesday night, extending their streak to five by defeating the Minnesota Wild, 5-4, in a shootout.
"We did a good job, after they tied it up, to kind of start skating again," right wing Gustav Nyquist said. "I think we created some chances - they had some chances, too, after, but I think we starting skating a little bit better, and there wasn't much time left after they tied it up. Obviously in overtime I thought both teams had some chances, could have scored, but went down a shootout, and nice to be on the winning side for once."
Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock did not seem shocked that the game went from a blowout to a nail-biter before center Pavel Datsyuk and Nyquist scored goals in the shootout.
"To be honest with you, we scored probably too easy, we tipped pucks, pucks went in, we were up 4-1 and we haven't really played that great," Babcock said. "Then you get standing around and kind of waiting and the next thing you know the game's tied. They did a lot of good things and we weren't great, so we found a way to win a game, which is really positive, won in a shootout, which is positive for our team."
Babcock still pointed out the shortcomings of his team - it needs to get better on the penalty kill and in faceoffs, he said - but he spoke more on the team's overall performance instead. Even with its top two goaltenders, Jimmy Howard and Jonas Gustavsson, both injured, the Red Wings have fared well.
"I think we went 5-0, if I'm not mistaken, coming into the break, and in that time we played some good teams, too," Babcock said. "I think when Howie got hurt if you'd have said [Petr] Mrazek was going to go 4-0 and [Tom] McCollum was going to go 1-0 ... I don't think the outside world would have believed it much, so it's good for our guys going into the break, they can have a good break and then we've got a big tilt against Florida."
The Red Wings have a record of 27-11-9 heading into the All-Star Break, and Babcock expressed some surprise that the season has gone so well so far.
"When nothing much happened this summer, I was disappointed, like a few of my veteran players who called me were disappointed, too," Babcock said. "I don't think any of us would have believed we'd be at this spot, the general manager and myself included.
"We're in a good situation; now we've got to get better," Babcock continued. "Our penalty kill hasn't been near as good here lately; we've got to get better, get our penalty kill back, our faceoff circle back, and get everyone playing well, but I think the big thing right now is just get guys away and get them freshened up so we can get ready for a push."
Nyquist said jumping out to leads early has helped Detroit in its recent run.
"I think before our streak got going there we had I think it was eight or nine games in a row there where the other team scored the first goal, so I think we've had a little bit better starts, obviously the exception of Buffalo when they were all over us, but we found a way to win," Nyquist said, "so I think better starts overall and I think we've played solid here at home as well."
As far as what the Red Wings have done differently to produce those faster starts, Nyquist smiled wryly.
"It's tough to say," Nyquist said. "If it was an easy answer we'd do it all the time, but just a matter of preparing yourself and being ready when the puck's dropped, executing and sticking to our system. When we do that, we're a pretty tough team to beat."
