Red Wings stay in California to practice, enjoy ‘huge trip’
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Detroit Red Wings were so pleased with what practice has done for them they scheduled one more before flying home.
They were in a high spirits Sunday evening at Honda Center after winning their third straight, and final, game on their California trip, 3-2 over the Anaheim Ducks.
“It’s a huge trip for us,” Dylan Larkin said after scoring a power play goal. “We left Detroit feeling like we played a couple good hockey games and the results were coming, and they came on this trip. We played well, we kind of found the mojo we had when we were healthy, and getting great goaltending.”
Alex Lyon made 29 saves to help the Wings win three straight games for the first time in a month. He was crucial in helping the Wings through one of their finest stretches Sunday, when they killed off an 85-second two-man disadvantage to improve to 8-for-8 on the penalty kill on this trip, and 10-for-10 going back to a 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on New Year’s Eve.
“Our penalty kill has been lights-out here of late, with a really nice run,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “What both special teams gave us was momentum. We score on the power play, we had a ton of good looks, hit a post. It gives you momentum. And some huge minutes on the kill. Our goaltender was excellent. Our fiveon-five game for the most was pretty good.
“A good solid win for us and a really good road trip.”
It was a leisurely trip for the Wings: After flying out on New Year’s Day, they beat the San Jose Sharks, 5-3, on Tuesday, then flew to Los Angeles. Wednesday was a practice day; Thursday brought no morning skate and a 4-3 shootout victory in the evening over the Kings. Friday was a day off, and Saturday, a practice day.
That’s in stark contrast to December, when the Wings played 12 games before the Dec. 2426 Christmas break.
“We have not had any practice time and I think it leaked into our game,” Lalonde said. “We had a ridiculously tough schedule, which everyone is going to have, and we had very few opportunities to practice.”
The collective bargaining agreement calls for players to have four days off per month — but that does not include travel days. Hence, Lalonde decided to schedule a practice for Monday morning; the plan was to be in the air by noon local time — which should allow just enough time for players to be at their respective homes by the time the College Football Playoff championship game begins. Former Wolverines on the Wings include Larkin, J.T. Compher and Andrew Copp.
“We will have the Michigan guys home in time for kickoff,” Lalonde said.