The Detroit Red Wings were unable to score in a 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday night. This marks only the third time this season that Detroit has been shut out. The team was playing its fourth game in six days and the second of back-to-back games.
“It’s probably fair to say,” said Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan when asked if fatigue played a role. “In the third period, we didn’t have as much in the tank as we needed it and sometimes you got to give the other team credit. They checked really well. They’re a heavy team, so to come from behind and not have gas is a tough thing. We needed to get the second one, we didn’t and that’s it.”
Goaltender Cam Talbot made his first start since January 1 and recorded 38 saves for Detroit (28-16-4; 60 points), but Jeremy Swayman earned his first shutout of the season with 24 saves for Boston (26-19-2; 54 points). The defeat ended Detroit’s four-game winning streak.
“I thought Talbs was unbelievable for us and gave us a chance to win that game,” said captain Dylan Larkin. “I think we had some O-zone possession, but just a little one-and-done. Missed on our big chances. A tough back-to-back. Can’t make excuses, but I thought we battled and hung in there.”
Detroit failed to capitalize on an early power play after Marco Kasper drew a tripping penalty against Elias Lindholm in the first period. Both teams remained scoreless through the opening frame, with key saves from both goaltenders.
Talbot and Detroit’s penalty killers stopped Boston’s power play early in the second period. Morgan Geekie nearly scored for Boston midway through the period, but Talbot made a glove save.
“He played unreal,” said Moritz Seider about Talbot’s performance. “Really kept us in the game the whole way and stepped up when we needed him.”
Both teams finished 0-for-2 on power plays.
Boston took a 1-0 lead at 2:28 of the second period when Pavel Zacha scored after receiving a pass from Mason Lohrei.
“They have size, they’re heavy, they check well, have good goaltending and they can clamp down,” McLellan said. “They get the lead, and they can clamp down.”
The Bruins extended their lead early in the third period with Fraser Minten scoring off an assist from Charlie McAvoy following his own rebound.
“We felt like we established our game in the second,” McLellan said. “We were happy with it. We created some opportunities, and if we could play that period over again, we gave ourselves a chance. But obviously, we couldn’t and the second [goal Boston scored] hurt us.”
Mark Kastelic added an empty-net goal late in regulation for Boston’s fourth consecutive win.
“Tonight was a missed opportunity, but I think the body of work that we’ve put in the past six games, the past 48 games, has put us in a spot where we can’t be satisfied,” Larkin said. “We can’t be comfortable, but it helps to be in our position. One thing we’ve done is bounce back, so I expect our team to bounce back after this loss, shake it off, have a good practice and be ready to go for Friday night.”
Detroit will return home to face San Jose on Black History Night at Little Caesars Arena on Friday.
The Red Wings are recognized as one of six Original Six franchises competing in professional ice hockey within the National Hockey League. The team plays its home games in downtown Detroit at Little Caesars Arena and has won eleven Stanley Cup championships throughout its history according to the official website. The franchise began operations in 1926 and represents Detroit both locally and nationally (source).
McLellan commented further on Talbot’s effort: “Really good, especially early. You get in late and have to find your legs quick against a heavy forechecking team. It took us five to seven minutes, but after that I thought we established our forecheck a little bit. It was a pretty evenly played game.”
Larkin addressed whether execution improved compared to Monday: “You got to score to win hockey games, and we didn’t score tonight. I thought we battled, and maybe a game where our team can come together and build team morale off how we battled and stuck with it.”
On whether scheduling affected Tuesday’s outcome Larkin added: “It certainly was a difficult back-to-back, but look at the last time we came in here on a back-to-back — we got a point. It’s a hard building to play in, but every team is going through the same schedule this year. Your brain has to be in it and you have to be ready to go.”
Seider described what makes Boston effective: “They’re really good on the forecheck. They come with two and they’re right on top of our D. Their defensemen do a really good job of pinching and keeping pucks alive.”
