Red Wings lose close race in overtime

Photo by: Jennifer Hefner/Getty Images

A bad ending for the Red Wings was positive for Columbus Tuesday night. The overtime game winner by Seth Jones allowed the Blue Jackets to edge Detroit 3-2 at Joe Louis Arena. Despite gaining a point in the standings, the loss killed their two-game winning streak in a conclusion that didn’t fare well from a certain perspective.

Detroit carried a two game winning streak coming back home with their strong stance playing the Predators in a 1-0 shutout Saturday. With the points also being an important factor along with Petr Mrazek’s success, they’ll hope to take care of it against their former division rivals. Columbus suffered a big loss at home against the Devils who knocked in five goals against them at Nationwide Arena. Needing to get back on the winning end of things they wanted to find that right moment to get back to a winning streak. They have gone 6-8-1 since recording a franchise record 16 game winning streak this season.

The Red Wings wanted to make a statement early against the Blue Jackets running with their first line where Gustav Nyquist took two close scoring chances in front of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Tomas Jurco got into the mix later on with a centering shot chance but saw it stopped by the Columbus netminder. After just three minutes, the Red Wings notched five shots in three minutes while the Blue Jackets had just one. The momentum was heavy for Detroit in their quest to get on the board first. With help from the Red Wings top players, they set up Nick Jensen with a one timer getting his second of the season.

Despite not carrying the same level of strength of offense, the Blue Jackets were tenacious giving every chance they could produce and get on the board. As they neared the halfway point of the period, Brandon Dubinsky worked his way near the Detroit net where he took a chance on an angled backhander that moved well enough to get behind Mrazek. Dubinsky got his seventh this season and an answer to level up with the Red Wings.

Detroit had a different way of responding on a different level as Scott Hartnell delivered a huge hit to Brendan Smith crashing into the defenseman head on. It sent Anthony Mantha into action challenging the Columbus veteran to a fight on open ice. The young Detroit forward made the first move slamming Hartnell down to the ice ending the bout. Mantha received an applause from the fans and his teammates on the bench for a job well done.

It livened the Red Wings to stay out front in their quest to get back out front while time was on the clock. Detroit had more than twice the shots Columbus took but getting another one through Bobrovsky was proving difficult. His defense and the Blue Jackets gaining more time with the puck turned the game closer to a turn table situation. It paid off for them with four minutes left as Cam Atkinson got set up to fire a centering shot that went five hole on Mrazek gaining his 26^th to move into third in the NHL top scoring ranks so far this year.

They spent the rest of the time gaining shots at Mrazek before finishing the opening 20 minutes. Columbus outshot Detroit in the final minutes while winning almost an even number of times as their opponents.

The second period was going Columbus’ way as they rushed big in the Detroit end getting leveled with the Red Wings quick. With their control on the scoreboard, Detroit needed something to happen before the game got way out of their hands. Before the half way of the point arrived, the Red Wings gained a huge 5 on 3 that could help them get things evened up. A good play on Detroit’s second and third lines had Mike Green setting the play into action with Justin Abdelkader on the reception. He delivered a pass near the net where Tomas Vanek got his best chance scoring the tying goal on the power play for his 13^th. The fight for control increased in the final minutes as Detroit wanted to carry the leverage going into the third but had a tough group from Columbus giving it their all. Another example of their strength came with Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno smashing Anthony Mantha into the boards.

This time his Smith came to defend his teammate urging Foligno to throw down with him after a stick came into use. Referees ending the scuffle quickly ordering play to resume. By the time forty minutes went into the books, Detroit remained out front on shots to the net notching 21 and held Columbus to 17.

Detroit knew that the third would be the toughest of their run into regulation and the Blue Jackets proved it with six shots through the first ten minutes while Detroit managed just a pair. The chances for Columbus were heavily in their favor as getting the go ahead goal was the mission for their victory on the road. Detroit had a home winning streak to keep going but more had to be done to produce offensive attacks at the Blue Jackets netminder.

It was coming down the final minutes with the score still tied at two all and Columbus dictating well since the start of the period. With little options to spare, the teams played around with the puck hoping to get moment to make something happen. It seemed that all their chances and even an attempted fight could change that both would go into overtime for five minute 3 on 3.

It was the battle of the goaltenders in overtime as Bobrovsky saw action from the Red Wings making big saves along with his three man support staff that helped kill off some good runs for Detroit. The Red Wings defense was strong enough to kill things off from the Blues Jackets pushing as hard as they could to keep them out. Their tenacity didn’t seem to be enough even when a slashing call was missed by officials. With one man stickless, it left Columbus with a chance to get it done and was by Jones on a high shot that caught top shelf for his tenth with 1:38 left.

Fans had their remarks as no challenge or review could be taken to overturn the recent events. Instead they and the Red Wings would have to move on from the problem and start over with an opening three game road trip that started against the Washington Capitals Thursday night.