Going into this weekend, Detroit Red Wings fans had a little something to be excited about with the renewal of their rivalry against the Chicago Blackhawks. However, that excitement quickly faded away. The Blackhawks defeated the Red Wings twice with Detroit being outscored 10-3 over two games. Now, the Wings head to Dallas and look to rebound in a two-game series against the Stars.
What Went Wrong In Chicago
As previously mentioned, the Red Wings were outscored 10-3 during their weekend in Chicago. Therefore, the main issue was and looks like it will be most of the season, offense. The Wings have scored 12 goals through six games. That puts them at 25th in the league, with most teams still behind them having yet to play six games. “I didn’t think we were competing like crazy out there. I thought we were competing okay…okay doesn’t cut it in this league,” said head coach Jeff Blashill after Sunday’s loss.
One player who had a particularly tough weekend was Anthony Mantha. Mantha’s start to this season has been somewhat lackluster considering his expectations as a first line forward. He finished the two-game Chicago series with zero points and has just one goal through the first six games. Mantha also had a brutal defensive zone turnover that led to a Blackhawks goal on Sunday. Heading to Dallas, Mantha knows he has to start picking up the slack.
“I just need to get my game going and doing what I do best.”
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 25, 2021
Full ?️: https://t.co/COtAtbuC5b@wwt_inc | #LGRW pic.twitter.com/6V9p5dw8e0
Red Wings Head to the Lone Star State
The Red Wings begin their two-game stint in Dallas on Tuesday night. The Stars are one of those teams behind Detroit when it comes goals scored. However, Dallas has scored ten goals and only played two games, so it’s quite different. After having the start of their season delayed due to COVID-19, the Stars opened their season Friday with a 7-0 win over Nashville. They dispatched the Predators again on Sunday 3-2 to start off the year 2-0.
Veteran Joe Pavelski is off to a red hot start in his second season with the Stars. The 36-year-old racked up seven points in Dallas’ first two games. Goaltender Anton Khduobin has been tasked with the starting role with Ben Bishop out for the beginning of the year, and the Russian has impressed with a 1.00 GAA and .961 SV% to open the year.
The main key to success for the Red Wings against Dallas should be scoring first. Detroit is 1-3 this season in games where they’ve had to come from behind. The Stars are the defending Western Conference champions and should easily make the playoffs again this year. They’ll pose a tough test for the Red Wings, and it will be interesting to see how this young team rebounds after a dismal weekend performance. Puck drop is set for 8:30pm EST on Tuesday in Dallas.
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