Postgame: Red Wings @ Bruins – Game 2 – 4/20

I thought I had said it in the pregame post but I went into this game expecting a Detroit loss. It would have been absolutely shocking (in a good way) to see the Bruins drop the opening pair of games at home. And if you’d told me on Friday afternoon that it would be 1-1 going to Detroit, I’d have taken it.

If Friday’s win showed how the Red Wings could win this series, today’s loss showed why so many people said Boston would win it. Detroit couldn’t get anything going offensively, their lack of depth on D bit them in the ass (Brian Lashoff), and they spent too much time trying to play Boston’s game (Brendan Smith kind of trying to fight Zdeno Chara, who didn’t look like he really wanted to fight either).

Boston was physical and controlled play and this time Jimmy Howard couldn’t bail his team out. In fact, the Bruins’ first goal falls largely on his awful pass attempt.

There were calls (and non-calls) I really didn’t like but I don’t think that’s what cost Detroit the game. I think the refs letting more things slide benefits the more physical team but I don’t think Detroit played well enough for that to really be the difference. I will say I really hated the roughing call on Kyle Quincey since David Krejci had his glove in Quincey’s face as much as Quincey had his in Krejci’s. That directly led to Boston’s fourth goal, but I already called out Lashoff on that one.

Detroit has plenty of time to turn it around. No one expected them to sweep and I actually think a longer series benefits them as they should get Henrik Zetterberg back.