The Detroit Red Wings opened preseason the hard way, pushing the Columbus Blue Jackets all the way to a shootout before falling 1-0 on Conor Garland’s lone goal past Michal Postava.
It was the kind of first game that looked like a first game. Neither team seemed especially sharp, and with a shortened practice schedule leading into the matchup, the lack of chemistry showed up early and often. The result was a choppy night full of whistles, scrums and stretches where the game never really settled in.
Detroit’s goaltending situation was one of the more notable parts of the night. Former Blue Jackets netminder Daniil Tarasov kept Columbus off the board in his return to Nationwide Arena while facing Jett Greaves. Both starters eventually gave way in the third period, with Postava taking over for the Red Wings and Copley coming in for the Blue Jackets.
The Red Wings tried to inject some life into the game late in the second period when Kienan Draper dropped the gloves with Luke Tuch off the faceoff. That was only part of a penalty-heavy night that featured five more penalties in regulation, yet still produced no scoring through 60 minutes.
The pace did improve late, even if the box score never really did. Another fight helped stir things up, but both teams remained stuck at zero through overtime as well. Detroit even handed Columbus a little more than a minute of 4-on-3 time, but the Blue Jackets still couldn’t cash in.
There were few clear standouts on either side in a game that marked each club’s first matchup against another NHL team since April. Still, Detroit’s younger players showed some of the night’s best moments, even if Nate Danielson and Carter Bear also took costly penalties late.
Postava delivered the clearest highlight of the night for Detroit. Late in the third period, he charged well out of the crease to challenge Josh Eernisse on a shorthanded breakaway and flattened the Blue Jackets forward. The only blemish on his night came in the shootout, when he overextended beyond the crease while trying to stop Garland’s attempt.
The special teams never found any rhythm. By the time the game was halfway through the third period, the two clubs had already piled up nine penalties, and neither side scored on the power play. Detroit and Columbus finished a combined 0-for-8 with the man advantage despite spending nearly two full periods trading penalty minutes in regulation.
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