Nine goals from six players in two games? Detroit Red Wings amazed by 'little more skill'
As small as the sample size is, the Detroit Red Wings will take it, and — they hope — grow from it.
They head into Monday's game against the Blue Jackets in Columbus, Ohio, boosted by two solid performances and one rousing home-opening victory. Although they need to clean up defensively, the offense they worked all summer to boost has been in clear evidence.
"Just having a little more skill there, it’s amazing what it can add to your group," coach Derek Lalonde said after Saturday's 6-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
CAT SCRATCH FEVER: Wings made big investment in DeBrincat. It's already paying off.
General manager Steve Yzerman went into the offseason with a primary objective to boost the Wings' scoring capabilities. The prize addition was Alex DeBrincat, who already has three goals and an assist. Daniel Sprong, another newcomer, has a goal in each of the first two games. J.T. Compher has a goal and two assists, and Shayne Gostisbehere has two assists.
Knowing they have that kind of ability to produce is a source of confidence.
"Throughout a long season we are going to have to find offense, and to have the depth that we do, it’s a pretty real thing," Dylan Larkin said. "You’ve seen it early and I’m excited to see how we respond when those times come."
Larkin and DeBrincat played with Lucas Raymond on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena, part of the shuffling necessitated by Robby Fabbri (undisclosed injury) not being available. If Fabbri, who scored in Thursday's season-opening 4-3 loss in New Jersey, isn't ready to return in Columbus, Lalonde said he's comfortable using 11 forwards and seven defensemen again. (The Wings, who were off Sunday, called up center Austin Czarnik to have in case needed.) Whether the Wings go with 11 or 12 forwards, Raymond likely has earned another appearance on the top line, given how forceful he was Saturday — there was the hit in the first period that sent Michael Eyssimont into the Wings' bench, followed by a goal in the second period.
"He’s been buzzing for a while," Lalonde said. "When he is skating like that, he is keeping plays alive."
Larkin said it is "nice playing with Razor. He won a lot of pucks and he hung onto a lot of pucks, we all did. We weren’t throwing it away. We used our speed and skill and had a lot of looks."
The Wings have directed 77 shots on net through two games, while holding the Lightning and Devils — two high-scoring playoff teams a season ago — to a combined 52. It is only two games, but the early goals are nice feedback that the offseason moves are working as intended.
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Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings' offseason additions paying off with more goals
