Postgame: Red Wings @ Islanders – 1/10

Pathetic effort by the Red Wings on Long Island tonight, in a 5-1 loss to the New York Islanders.

As I mentioned midway through the game, the Isles were reminding me of the Blues in the way that they made the extra effort to win battles along the boards. Moreso than the Blues, they also used their speed to get behind the Wings’ defenders at the other end of the ice.

That said, it’s not like the Detroit defense made it particularly difficult. It’s been awhile since they looked so slow as a unit. How many of those goals against were odd-man rushes. Forget the goals, how many times did New York move the puck into the Detroit zone with little to no opposition?

Hell, we had one point – and Saler pointed this out on Twitter at the time – where Henrik Zetterberg not just didn’t get back on an Islanders rush, he went for a change. I yell at my tech company rec soccer team for that kind of ridiculousness, it’s absurd to see it from a professional hockey team.

I won’t point a finger at Ty Conklin on this one. He didn’t have a great night but he was absolutely hung out to dry all game.

I’m not writing any more about this one. Not even doing a formal recap. Another “they didn’t put in the effort and neither will I” night.