Detroit City Wire

Head coach Derek Lalonde admitted that the Detroit Red Wings did not perform at their best on Tuesday night. However, he expressed satisfaction with his team's ability to secure a 1-0 shutout victory over the New York Islanders at UBS Arena.

The Red Wings, now standing at 3-3-0 with six points, relied heavily on goalie Alex Lyon's performance. Lyon made 29 saves while the team managed only 11 shots on goal against the Islanders, marking Detroit’s lowest shot total in a win since the NHL began tracking shots in the 1959-60 season.

“That was greasy and gutty,” said Lalonde regarding Detroit’s third win of the season. He noted that there are nights when players might not be at their peak performance level and emphasized managing such situations effectively.

Patrick Kane scored for the Red Wings early in the first period with a one-timer from Vladimir Tarasenko's drop pass. J.T. Compher also contributed with an assist on what turned out to be the game's only goal.

“It feels good,” Kane commented on scoring his first goal of the season. He mentioned that his line had good communication during the first period and expressed surprise that his early goal remained unmatched throughout the game.

Detroit's penalty kill unit faced challenges in the second period but successfully thwarted both of New York’s power-play opportunities, maintaining their lead into the second intermission. The Red Wings continued this defensive strength by killing off another penalty late in the third period, completing a perfect 3-for-3 night while shorthanded.

“The PK in the third [period] was our best one,” stated Lalonde. He praised Lyon's performance during penalty kills and highlighted its significance in securing their victory.

Despite being outshot 7-2 in the final frame and facing pressure from New York netminder Ilya Sorokin's removal for an extra skater, Detroit held firm for its second shutout win of the season.

“The team did a great job shutting things down in the third [period],” said Lyon after recording his first shutout of this campaign and fourth overall in his NHL career. “That was huge.”

Looking ahead, Detroit aims to maintain momentum as they prepare to face off against the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night.

Lalonde reflected positively on Tuesday’s defensive effort: “Really loved our guys’ last period with penalty kill and goalie pull.” He also spoke about Lyon’s confidence: “He has a confidence about him... it gives our group some confidence.”

Kane emphasized balancing defense with offense: “Sometimes best defense is playing offense... playing with puck.”