Lucas Raymond is the only reason the Detroit Red Wings look like a team that can score. The rest of the roster looks lost. The young winger bucked a bad trend on Tuesday night, but the result was still a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Detroit fell to 7-9-3 on the season after the game at Enterprise Center. The Blues took advantage of a slow start and never looked back. Raymond had two assists, but that was not enough to save the team from their fourth straight defeat.
The Start That Costs Games
The Red Wings scored first when Andrew Copp found the net late in the first period. That lead lasted 37 seconds into the second. Pius Suter and Justin Barron scored quick goals for St. Louis. Detroit was suddenly playing catch-up. Head coach Todd McLellan did not hide his frustration. He told reporters he “sure didn’t like our start,” according to Lou Korac from NHL.com. The team failed to keep pressure on the Blues and paid the price.
McLellan broke down the quality of chances in the game with blunt facts. He said there were “Zero in the first period, a little bit better in the second and a lot in the third,” per the Red Wings’ official postgame report. The third-period surge came too late. The Blues held on for the win despite a strong effort from Detroit in the final frame. Detroit outshot the Blues 20-8 in that last period, but the damage was already done.
Raymond Carries a Heavy Load
Lucas Raymond has been the lone bright spot in a dark stretch for Detroit. He recorded assists on both of Detroit’s goals in the loss. Andrew Copp scored the first, and Moritz Seider netted the second with just over a minute left in regulation. Raymond has 14 points and six goals in the last 11 games, a run that started after a shootout loss to Seattle on Oct. 20. He is proving he can reach a point-per-game pace even while the team struggles.
The rest of the offense has cooled off. Alex DeBrincat, Viktor Arvidsson, and others have not found their rhythm. The team has managed just five goals over the last four games. That is not enough to win in the NHL, even with John Gibson back in net. The goalie made 30 saves on 33 shots, but he could not make up for the lack of offense. Detroit has allowed 13 goals in this four-game losing streak while scoring only five.
A Hard Road Ahead
The Red Wings must fix their slow starts if they want to turn things around. They cannot rely on one period of good hockey to win games. The team returns to action Thursday against the Florida Panthers. This is a chance to stop the slide before it gets worse. The Blues, meanwhile, move on after a solid road win. Detroit needs to generate consistent pressure for 60 minutes, not just 20.
