Detroit City Wire

In their last match before the NHL holiday break, the Detroit Red Wings faced a 4-0 defeat against the St. Louis Blues at Little Caesars Arena on Monday night. This loss marked the third consecutive game without a win for the Red Wings.

Detroit's goalie Cam Talbot, making his 17th start of the season, recorded 17 saves. The team played without Ben Chiarot and Simon Edvinsson due to upper-body injuries. On the opposing side, St. Louis' goaltender Jordan Binnington successfully blocked all 19 shots for his second shutout of the season.

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin emphasized the importance of using this break to rest and reset after recent performances. "Get away, spend time with your families and try to come back refreshed," Larkin said. He noted that it has been challenging to maintain morale given recent results and expressed hope that players will benefit from the downtime.

Head coach Derek Lalonde echoed similar thoughts about needing a reset during this period. "Just a little out of rhythm," Lalonde commented on their current state. He acknowledged that recent games have been frustrating despite starting strong at home.

The Blues took an early lead with Dylan Holloway scoring at 16:14 in the first period, followed by goals from Alexandre Texier and another from Holloway in the second period. After pulling Talbot late in the game, Holloway completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal.

The Red Wings struggled offensively against St. Louis, who managed to outshoot them 21-19 and thwarted their single power-play opportunity. J.T. Compher praised Talbot's efforts but admitted defensive lapses contributed significantly to their downfall.

Reflecting on player absences impacting Monday’s outcome, Lalonde stated: "D were fine tonight... But I thought our D, our young guys that aren't even everyday NHL guys, did their job."

Larkin also discussed inconsistencies in performance levels compared to previous matches against teams like Toronto Maple Leafs where they excelled on home ice: "That's our identity... we had a great performance."

On energy levels affecting recent games, Larkin remarked: “It’s hard to make excuses... We’re just not doing that." Meanwhile, Compher highlighted issues with puck management hampering offensive play: “We turned over way too much tonight.”

Detroit is set to return post-break hosting Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena this Friday night.