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A lot of things could have happened with a Red Wings win over the Islanders on Friday night, but instead of becoming the third franchise in NHL history to reach 50 wins four seasons in a row or taking the lead over San Jose for king ding-a-ling of the league they played sloppy, uninspired hockey and got slapped across their collective faces by a team that is, for all intents and purposes, playing for next season.
Not to take anything away from the Islanders or the stellar play of Joey MacDonald, who recorded his first career shutout against his former team and earned himself a save of the year nomination, but Detroit did what Detroit does so well this time of year and that’s forget that there’s more regular season hockey to be played.
Typical end-of-season Red Wings. They came out flat and looked bored, giving up a shorthanded goal and playing beer league-type hockey for 55 minutes. Detroit did beat MacDonald a bunch of times, but as nice as it sounds clanging the puck off those pipes doesn’t put numbers up on the scoreboard. Unfortunate? Sure, but until that rule gets changed as well we’re all just going to have to suffer.
Click here for game highlights.
Two teams at polar opposites met on Friday night, and the one with the least to play for played like the one with the most to play for should have. Frustrating to be sure, but truth be told we’ve come to expect this kind of thing from the Wings this time of year. Subconsciously the season is over for Detroit, and has been for quite a while now.
All things considered the Wings should have spanked New York on Friday night. Instead it was Detroit who left Joe Louis Arena sucking their thumbs.
Paul Benvin covers the Detroit Red Wings for The Hockey Writers. Feel free to contact him with tips, video, or general dissension.
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