For the first time since late November, the Detroit Red Wings find themselves in a bit of a rut. Saturday’s 5-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche capped off a winless three-game homestand, dropping them to 0-2-1 over the stretch. It’s their roughest patch since a four-game slide back in late November, and it’s raising some eyebrows as the team tries to regain its early-season form.
Let’s start with the obvious: Colorado came into Little Caesars Arena and dominated. Nathan MacKinnon was at the heart of it, scoring twice and setting the tone early.
His first goal came on a long shot through traffic that slipped past John Gibson - a goal that not only gave the Avs a 2-0 lead but also seemed to sap the energy from the Red Wings’ bench. MacKinnon added another in the second period, his second of the night, as part of a relentless Colorado attack that never let up.
But before MacKinnon took over, it was Brent Burns who opened the scoring - and in style. The 40-year-old defenseman, still playing with the edge and flair that’s defined his career, beat Gibson high glove side for his ninth of the season.
That tally was more than just a goal - it was his 270th in the NHL, tying him with none other than Bobby Orr for seventh all-time among defensemen. Not bad company to keep.
Ross Colton and Parker Kelly also found the back of the net for Colorado, while Mackenzie Blackwood turned in a clean sheet for his 17th career shutout. Blackwood wasn’t overly busy, but he was sharp when he needed to be, frustrating Detroit’s forwards and keeping the Red Wings off the board all night.
Gibson, meanwhile, allowed four goals through two periods before head coach Todd McLellan turned to Cam Talbot for the third. It wasn’t all on the netminding, though - Detroit struggled to generate quality chances and looked out of sync in all three zones.
McLellan didn’t sit idle. He shook up his defensive pairings, putting Albert Johansson alongside Moritz Seider on the top unit.
Ben Chiarot and Jacob Bernard-Docker formed the second pair, while Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Erik Gustafsson rounded out the third. Travis Hamonic was a healthy scratch.
Up front, McLellan also made a tweak, bumping Mason Appleton up to the third line and dropping veteran James van Riemsdyk to the fourth. But the changes didn’t spark much - the Wings were chasing the game from the opening puck drop.
One of the biggest issues? Falling behind early.
Detroit gave up two first-period goals, marking the third straight game they’ve trailed by multiple goals in the opening frame. It’s also the sixth time in their last nine games they’ve allowed the first goal - a troubling trend for a team that, when playing with a lead, can be tough to beat.
And if you’re looking for a stat that tells the story of this matchup, here it is: Colorado is now 14-0-1 in its last 15 games against Detroit. That’s more than a streak - it’s a statement.
There’s no panic in Detroit just yet, but there’s definitely work to be done. The Red Wings have been one of the league’s more intriguing teams this season, mixing young talent with veteran leadership.
But stretches like this test a team’s identity. With a road trip looming, they’ll need to regroup quickly - because in a tight Eastern Conference race, every point matters.