The Detroit Red Wings have been even stingier in recent games and it has shown up in the won-loss column.
Detroit has won three of its last four games while giving up just six total goals during that span. Now the Red Wings will host the New Jersey Devils on Friday afternoon.
Detroit needed overtime to pull out a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Lucas Raymond extended his goal streak to four games by scoring on a power play during the extra session.
Cam Talbot didn’t allow a goal until a Flames power play late in regulation.
“We’ve shown that we can play these games. We knew coming into this game with Calgary — they’re an aggressive team, they forecheck hard. They tend to just outwork the opponent and grind them down,” Talbot said. “We bent but we didn’t break for the most part all night.
“If anything, we kind of took it to them for most of the game. Gave up that late one and you can do one of two things — either fold and give the game back to them or you can go out in overtime and get the game winner. We did a good job mentally of not letting that get to us and finishing the win.”
Detroit had surrendered 15 goals while losing all three games of a West Coast trip prior to its improved four-game stretch.
“Our D zone has been unbelievable as of late,” Talbot said. “Guys are doing a good job of clogging up the middle and making the other team give up the puck coming into the zone. Once we clean up the (penalty kill), you’ll see that number come down even more. But 5-on-5 our team has been pretty dialed in in the defensive zone.”
Raymond has been dialed in on the offensive zone.
“I felt like it was a matter of time,” coach Derek Lalonde said of Raymond’s hot streak. “It’s a good sign. I’m not surprised.”
New Jersey, one of the top offensive teams in the league, continued its odd habit of getting shut out in its losses. The Devils were blanked at home 3-0 on Wednesday by the St. Louis Blues.
New Jersey has scored an average of 4.6 goals per game in its 10 victories since late Oct. 27. In their four losses during that stretch, the Devils have been shutout each time.
The Devils surrendered all three Blues goals Wednesday in the first period.
“It’s tough against any team when you spot them a lead like that,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. “They’re parking the bus, clogging it up, making it hard to get to their net. They’re not taking any chances on offense. You have to find your way through that. Clearly, it was a struggle for us.”
New Jersey squeezed off 31 shots on goal against St. Louis goaltender Jordan Binnington and wound up frustrated.
“Lots of looks, lots of chances, posts, one of those nights it didn’t go in for us,” Devils forward Stefan Noesen said.
Detroit won the first meeting this season with the Devils 5-3 on Oct. 24.
–Field Level Media