The Wings lost 4-3 in a shootout to Edmonton. Although the Wings as usual dominated in terms of total shots, Roloson made the big stops to keep his team alive. Edmonton took a 3-2 lead into the third, and kept the Wings bottled up for much of the period, particularly with an effective fore-check. Detroit finally broke through when Henrik Zetterberg took the puck around the back of the net, came out in front and scored his 23rd goal of the season. In overtime, the Wings had a number of chances but could not convert any of them, and Edmonton went on to win the shootout when Detroit failed to score.
Edmonton has to love the shootout as they improve to 9-1. In fact, Edmonton remains in striking distance of the eighth and final playoff spot only because of their prowess in the shootout. You have to wonder if management might make a move at the trade deadline, thinking that it would put them into legitimate playoff contention, only to see the team lose in the first round of the continuous OT playoffs and struggle with the salary cap over the next few seasons. They have some young talent, but they might benefit in the long term with a higher draft pick rather than a short playoff appearance.
For the Red Wings, another excellent performance from Zetterberg while Datsyuk was held in check. As is often the case in Red Wings losses, it wasn’t a matter of generating chances, but rather an inability to convert opportunities. The Wings were without Holmstrom, so perhaps he might have made a difference as far as putting the puck home off of a rebound. Neither Draper nor Maltby dressed for the game, but the Wings haven’t missed a beat without them recently, so their return might not have as much of an impact.
