Red Wings Lose Their 4th Consecutive Game to the Blackhawks

Hi everybody and welcome to Episode 21 of Season 2 of Red Wings Rant hosted by the Brothers of Discussion and brought to you by the Hockey Podcast Network.  Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings, finally, have a home.

We’re going over the second series of the season against the Chicago Blackhawks and if we could finally break through the brick walls that Chicago has had in the net.

We also play everyone’s favorite game: Who’s That Pokemon!

Red Wings vs Blackhawks Game One

• Corsi: 60%

• Fenwick: 65%

• High Danger: 67%

• Expected goals: 65%

• Individual PLayers

  • Namestnikov: 3 shots, .32 ixG, 4 iCF, 3 iHDCF

  • Djoos: 1 for 1 on shots, 

  • Mathias Brome had an xGF% of 92.48%

• Forward Lines

  • All were 65% xGF% +

  • Blackhawks took advantage of transitions, line changes for opportunities

• Greiss with .875 SV%

  • Better HighDSV% (.833) than MediumDSV% (.750)

This game highlighted everything the Red Wings can do right when the puck isn’t even bouncing in their favor. Stifling the opponent’s offense and hoping for high danger chances when in the offensive zone is their specialty. So, we can tip our caps to another solid execution of Blashill’s 5-on-5 gameplan, but the Red Wings still fall short.

As was highlighted in our game recaps earlier this week, Hronek’s Overtime blunders and Marc Staal’s poor positioning in the first period could very well be the difference between a win and a loss. Regardless, another loss goes up on the record books as we hang our heads in shame.

It should be noted that the Wings did get some great play from Mathias Brome and Vladislav Namestnikov in this game. Both were analytics nightmares for their opponent, with Namestnikov getting 3 High Danger Chances in the games as well as being a part of a forward line that owned 90% of the expected goals.

Brome while on the ice, owned the puck and prevented any high or medium danger chances from getting close to Greiss with a .05 xGA. Considering Greiss stopped all 11 low-danger chances during 5-on-5 play, you’d have to correlate Brome’s ice time as a chance for Greiss to rack up some easier saves and a chance to catch his breath.

While the more fun stats are goals and assists, the Red Wings were happy to see a play Christian Djoos has attempted a few times before, finally hit the back of the net. Djoos’ goal brings into question whether he should get more power-play time and if it’s just a matter of seeing his power-play time increase while he builds more chemistry with his team.

Red Wings vs Blackhawks Game Two

Key Stats from Natural Stat Trick

First period

• 4-0 HDCF%

  • Misses by Mantha, Fabbri, Zadina

• Larkin - Zadina-Brome - 98% xGF% 

• Brome 2nd on team in Corsi and xGF

Second Period

• Brome off first line, Mantha - Larkin - Zadina can’t find a scoring chance

• Still wins xGF% matchup on 5-on-5

• Give up a Power Play goal to Philipp Kurashev 

Kevin Lankinen with 29 saves, 2.72 Expected Goals Against. This was the difference in a game where the Red Wings dominated in High Danger Chances, yet again.

Part of the reason we were so dominant in High Danger Chances was all of the work we did to prevent any chances upfront. No action (0 shots and no rebounds) in front of the net for Blackhawks until 3rd period, but still limited 2nd chances in the 3rd.

The Wings keep winning the analytics battles but have terrible puck luck and no Red Wings player could finish an opportunity.

Red Wings vs Florida Panthers for Weekend Series

Friday and Saturday Night

Red Wings are 1-2-1 against Florida this season.

After losing to the Red Wings, 4-1, the Panthers are 4-1 in their last 5 games. They are coming in hot and hungry against a very frustrated Red Wings team. This will either be a test of stamina or the Red Wings could be in serious trouble, should Blashill lose buy-in from his team.