theathleticuk
SUNRISE, Fla. — Eight months after a devastating late-game collapse against the Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena, the Detroit Red Wings returned to the scene on Monday and authored a different ending.
Back on March 10, Detroit held a 3-2 lead with under two minutes to play, only to watch Florida tie the game with a pulled goalie and then score the winner off a turnover by then-rookie Emmitt Finnie with 15 seconds left. That loss, part of a late-season slide that extended the franchise's playoff drought to 10 years, lingered.
On Monday morning, the Red Wings watched that painful clip again as part of their preparation. “We did show that clip this morning because it kind of went with our attention to detail in the third period against St. Louis,” head coach Todd McLellan explained, referencing a more recent blown lead two days prior.
This time, Detroit led 4-2 early in the third, and when Florida pulled its goalie late, Sam Bennett scored with 3:20 remaining to narrow the gap. But the similarities ended there. The Red Wings clamped down, allowing just four shots in the third period, and Finnie sealed the 5-3 victory with an empty-net goal with three seconds left.
“So, fixed it,” McLellan said, before adding a caveat: “For how long? We’ll see.”
That cautious optimism reflects the current state of the Red Wings, who are 15 games into a season filled with tests. At 7-5-3, they remain outside a playoff spot, but a closer look reveals encouraging trends. Detroit is 6-2-3 in its last 11 games, collecting 15 points, despite missing last year’s top-line center Dylan Larkin and top-pairing defenseman Simon Edvinsson (unsigned RFA).
On Monday, Finnie logged 18:40, scored the dagger, and gave up little defensively against one of the league’s toughest teams. Carter Mazur opened the scoring 5:26 in with his first NHL goal, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, still a rookie after 14 games last season, contributed points including the eventual game-winner. He also added seven hits, bringing his season total to 70 (top-five in the league), and his 10 points are tied for third among rookies. His strong territorial numbers make him one of the most impactful rookies in hockey this season.
“They’re (an) important piece of our team,” goaltender Daniil Tarasov said Monday. “They’re giving a lot of energy to this group.”
Tarasov, who was in net for the Panthers in that March game, has been outstanding since signing with Detroit as a free agent this summer. In five appearances (four starts), he ranks top-five in the NHL in save percentage and goals-against average, and entered Monday top-10 in goals saved above expected. “I thought he looked really good,” McLellan said. “He made some tough, tough saves, especially in the first period (on the) power play. Had a lot of poise down the stretch when they did pressure us.”
Other encouraging signs include a stellar run from offseason addition Viktor Arvidsson, a stingy five-on-five team defense, and McLellan’s implementation of the 1-3-1 system that has fostered it. Those positives are notable for a team surrounded by uncertainty after a summer of unresolved drama.
But McLellan’s measured tone is warranted: even with a .567 points percentage, the Red Wings are tied for seventh in their division, and the schedule will only get tougher. Closing out a road win against a more proven team is a step, but it will mean more later in the season when pressure mounts. Questions remain about how this group will handle calmer times, whether center depth can sustain recent play, if Arvidsson can maintain a point-per-game pace, and whether Finnie and Brandsegg-Nygård can keep producing. The blue line, while surviving and posting strong advanced stats, still has long-term question marks with rookies William Wallinder and Anton Johansson and journeyman Andreas Englund.
Last year’s Detroit team was 9-6-0 at the same point — one point better. But considering the obstacles this year’s group has faced and overcome, it’s hard not to be impressed with what it’s shown 15 games in. For how long, though? McLellan said it best: “We’ll see.”
Originally reported by theathleticuk.