Red Wings, fans enjoy taste of playoff hockey before door is closed
The scene was set when Detroit’s Patrick Kane took a penalty with fewer than three minutes remaining in the third period in a tied game against Toronto.
Red Wings fans were about to embark on a wild nonstop ride to finish the regular season. Detroit was in contention with Washington and Philadelphia for the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference.
With two games to follow, Detroit couldn’t fail to get at least one point against the Maple Leafs to remain in the mix. After leading 4-1 after one period, the Red Wings allowed three goals in the second period.
The game remained tied as Kane incurred a high stick infraction. Therefore, a power play goal from Toronto would have ended Detroit’s season.
Instead, after helping to kill the penalty, Dylan Larkin remained on the ice and made certain his stick was on the other end of a goal mouth pass from Kane that made it effortless for Larkin to pot the game-winner 41 seconds into overtime.
Crisis averted, but suspense burgeoned. The Red Wings completed the regular season with a visit Monday from the Canadiens and then followed to Montreal for a rematch the next night.
Detroit had 87 points after Toronto, same as Washington. The Capitals rose to the occasion Monday and beat Boston.
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The Red Wings knew Washington would win the tiebreaker if the teams found themselves even to finish the schedule. Therefore, it was mandatory for Detroit to beat Montreal twice in order to stay alive.
The 30-win Canadiens made nothing easy. Rather than an early advantage, Detroit dug a huge hole and trailed 4-1.
Alex DeBrincat and Raymond (with the goaltender off for an extra skater) scored in the third period and Raymond won the game in overtime.
The Red Wings continually recovered and never succumbed to the suspense throughout the final four games. They demonstrated comeback spirit all season with 14 victories after trailing in the third period.
Philadelphia (87 points) needed to beat Washington in regulation and for Detroit to lose Tuesday. That led to some extremely unusual and maddening circumstances for Red Wings fans.
Detroit’s David Perron miraculously forced overtime against the Canadiens with five seconds left in regulation. Only seconds later in real time, Philadelphia pulled its goaltender with three minutes left in a tie game and Washington quickly capitalized into an empty net to eliminate the Red Wings from playoff hockey.
Of course, Detroit knew its fate already during the ensuing shootout against Montreal. Still, Kane scored the only goal for a victory.
Kane has championship pedigree and might be the best player ever from the United States. Maybe he had the character to realize the last goal was much more than that.
It was a flicker in the ashes of devastation that the fire is actually gaining oxygen. The final few weeks of the season basically provided the Red Wings with a taste of the postseason.
Lucas Raymond scored five goals in the final four games. You can never expect to start where you left off in sports, especially if Kane exits stage left via free agency, but Detroit performed admirably in a sudden death pressure cooker environment to cap the season.
Larkin and Raymond each scored to erase a two-goal deficit and force overtime, but Pittsburgh scored early in extra time the game before Toronto. Alex Ovechkin scored the decisive goal as Washington beat Detroit in regulation in a key game one prior.
Larkin was injured late in the season and Detroit lost seven straight games to completely nullify a cushion established with six straight wins when Larkin was healthy. The Red Wings aren’t equipped with depth to withstand the loss of that player, but suffering consecutive losses to 35-win Arizona was inexcusable and ultimately dramatically costly.
Mo Seider is the youngest best defenseman in the NHL and one of the best at any age. Alex Lyon looked like he might be the answer in goal after starting the season third-string, but he didn’t play in the final game.
General manager Steve Yzerman made numerous additions last offseason and the team improved by 11 points. Whatever changes he makes this time, next season can’t come soon enough for Detroit fans who still haven’t seen bonus hockey in eight years.
And it’s more than likely Kane wants to help finish the movie with a similar cast.
mhorn@gannett.com
419-307-4892
X: @MatthewHornNH
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Detroit Red Wings NHL postseason push
