Avalanche Roll Over Red Wings in Lopsided Rivalry Rematch
The Detroit Red Wings brought back memories of their “dominance era” with a pregame ceremony Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena, honoring the powerhouse teams of the late '90s and early 2000s. But once the puck dropped, it was the Colorado Avalanche who looked like the dominant force from that bygone era.
In a nationally televised matinee that quickly turned sour for the home team, the Wings were outplayed in every phase, falling 5-0 to a Colorado squad that came in shorthanded and still found another gear. It marked the Wings’ second nationally televised blowout loss in four weeks, and their largest margin of defeat in over a month.
A Rough End to January
Detroit wrapped up January with a three-game homestand, but failed to secure a single win in the stretch. Despite the stumble, the Wings (32-18-6) remain in second place in the Atlantic Division with 70 points - though the margin is tight, as both Buffalo and Montreal (67 points each) were set to clash later Saturday.
This loss stings a little more given the timing. It was the Wings’ final home game until March 4, when they host the Vegas Golden Knights. Between now and then, they’ll embark on a road trip that starts with a rematch in Denver on Monday night, followed by a visit to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth before the Olympic break.
Gibson Stands Tall - Until He Doesn’t Have To
If there was a silver lining, it was John Gibson. The veteran netminder was Detroit’s best player through two periods, especially during a pair of penalty kills in the second that could’ve made the score even uglier. But with the game slipping away, head coach Derek Lalonde opted to give Cam Talbot the third period, perhaps to keep Gibson fresh or simply to shake things up.
Talbot didn’t fare much better, though the blame falls less on goaltending and more on the skaters in front. Parker Kelly added to the Avalanche’s tally with a slick backhand midway through the third, capping off a night where Detroit’s defense looked disjointed and its power play continued to sputter - even with some personnel tweaks.
Colorado Finds Its Stride - Even Without Key Stars
The Avalanche came into the game having dropped four of their last five and were missing top forwards Gabriel Landeskog and Martin Necas due to injuries. You wouldn’t have known it.
The oldest player on the ice - and in the league - got things started. Brent Burns, who turns 41 in March, opened the scoring in the first period. He took advantage of a one-on-one with Albert Johansson, powering past the young defenseman and beating Gibson glove-side.
Nathan MacKinnon, the reigning league MVP, was in MVP form again. He assisted on Burns’ goal, then added one of his own minutes later with a laser from the point through traffic.
MacKinnon wasn’t done. Late in the second, with Detroit trying to clear the puck out of their own zone, Artturi Lehkonen picked off a pass and found MacKinnon on the left side for a one-timer that made it 4-0.
Avalanche Pressure Buries Detroit
Colorado’s forecheck and puck retrieval were relentless, and it showed early in the second period. Brock Nelson outmuscled Alex DeBrincat behind the net, and after Josh Manson kept the puck alive at the blue line, Nelson found Ross Colton on the doorstep for an easy tap-in. That made it 3-0 just 84 seconds into the period - a backbreaker for a Wings team already on its heels.
Detroit’s top players struggled to generate any meaningful offense. Patrick Kane, just two days removed from becoming the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, had a good look early with a shot from the right side, but was turned away by Colorado goalie MacKenzie Blackwood. That would be as close as the Wings would get.
Looking Ahead
The Wings have little time to dwell on this one. They’ll see the Avalanche again Monday night in Denver - a chance to respond, reset, and maybe even return the favor. But if Saturday’s showing is any indication, Detroit has some soul-searching to do before they can hang with the league’s elite.
With a month-long road trip ahead and the playoff race tightening, the margin for error is shrinking. The Wings have shown flashes of brilliance this season - but to keep pace in the Atlantic and make a serious postseason push, they’ll need to find consistency, especially against top-tier opponents like Colorado.
Saturday was a reminder of what the Red Wings once were - and how far they still have to go to get back there.