In a tough 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan found silver linings in his team’s performance but also highlighted the critical areas needing improvement.
McLellan appreciated the effort, saying, “I liked our game. We did a lot of really good things.”
The Red Wings were aggressive, firing 43 shots at Boston’s net. Yet, the Bruins' goalie, Jeremy Swayman, stood tall, turning away chance after chance.
“We knew we were going to have a high shot volume, and I think we did,” noted forward Lucas Raymond. “We had a ton of looks.
You just gotta put it in.”
However, the Achilles heel for Detroit was their defensive lapses, leading to easy goals for Boston. “Obviously, we don’t want to give up three,” McLellan emphasized.
The first goal came during a five-on-three power play, a result of a costly mistake by Moritz Seider. “Very dumb mistake by me to get Boston on a five-on-three,” Seider admitted.
The Red Wings struggled with D-zone coverage, especially after taking a 2-1 lead early in the third period. Just minutes after Alex DeBrincat’s go-ahead goal, Detroit’s inability to clear the puck led to Elias Lindholm tying the game.
“We’re an inch away from getting a puck out,” McLellan lamented. “That’s got to get done.”
The game-winner for Boston came as Detroit’s defense collapsed, allowing Nikita Zadorov to capitalize with a screened shot. “We just caved into our end,” McLellan explained.
“Our D man didn’t gap up. Zadorov used our D as a screen.”
Despite the disappointment, McLellan remains hopeful. “Is it disappointing?
Yes. Can we fix it?
Yes. Do we hope that we erase that from our game?
For sure, we do.” Yet, with the season reaching Game 70, there’s an urgency to resolve these issues if the Red Wings hope to avoid watching the playoffs from home once again.