McLellan Says the Red Wings Answered His Calgary Callout
· Yahoo Sports
Todd McLellan called the Detroit Red Wings out after Saturday night’s 4-1 loss in Calgary, saying it was “one of our poorer nights, as far as execution goes.” Two nights later in Edmonton, the head coach had a very different review of the same group.
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Detroit beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in a shootout at Rogers Place on Monday night, erasing a third-period deficit to finish a four-game road trip 2-1-1. The Red Wings are 5-4-3.
After the game, McLellan said he was proud of the way his team answered.
“I’m really proud of the group, we responded well after what happened in Calgary (a 4-1 loss on Saturday),” McLellan said. “We checked well, kept some pretty good offensive players in check for the most part. The penalty kill did a really good job, and Postava.
“We’re so excited for him and happy for him and sometimes that’s how it happens. A goalie gets the start such as this one and plays really well and gets the win.”
Todd McLellan Pointed to the Penalty Kill
Special teams were McLellan’s loudest complaint in Calgary, where the Red Wings went 0-for-2 on the power play and watched the Flames convert both of their chances. In Edmonton, Detroit killed two of the Oilers’ three power plays and Viktor Arvidsson tied the game 1-1 with a power-play goal in the second period.
Dylan Larkin forced the extra session. With Michal Postava pulled for an extra attacker, Larkin collected a Lucas Raymond pass off his skates, kicked the puck up to his stick and slipped it past Tristan Jarry to tie it 3-3 at 18:34 of the third period.
Lucas Raymond Scored the Lone Goal in the Shootout
Raymond scored the only goal of the shootout for the Red Wings. It was his second shootout goal of the season, per the NHL’s shootout statistics. He also finished with two assists and three shots on goal, and it was his pass that put Larkin in position to tie the game.
Michal Postava Won His First NHL Start
Postava made 25 saves and stopped all three Edmonton attempts in the shootout for his first NHL victory. It was the 24-year-old’s first NHL start and only his second NHL game. He made his debut last Thursday, stopping seven of eight shots after replacing John Gibson to begin the third period of a 5-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks.
Postava is the third Red Wings goaltender in the past 25 years to win his first NHL start, joining Petr Mrazek in February 2013 and Jimmy Howard in November 2005. Whether he gets the next one is the question Detroit takes home: the Red Wings host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena.