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Detroit Red Wings Drop Six Straight Games

By Catherine Silverman

Apr 26, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock (R) reacts from behind the bench during the third period against the Boston Bruins in game five of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden. The Bruins won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock (R) reacts from behind the bench during the third period against the Boston Bruins in game five of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden. The Bruins won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a brief period at the top, the Detroit Red Wings make a spectacular crash back to Earth 

The Detroit Red Wings are probably going to make the playoffs anyway, so there’s no real need to start mashing the panic switch… but this original six team is definitely giving their fanbase a reason to sweat.

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About the time that the NHL realized that the Red Wings had quietly climbed their way to the top of the standings, they were scheduled to play in almost back-to-back matchups against the Toronto Maple Leafs — and from there, everything went wrong.

Despite outshooting the Leafs 42-19 and controlling the play for the entire game, Detroit ultimately fell 2-1 in that first of two… and in doing so started a chain reaction of losses that brought the team to Sunday night, where a 2-1 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche made for a sixth consecutive dropped game.

It speaks to the strong start Detroit gained on the season that the team is still in third overall, but things aren’t looking great for the Atlantic Division franchise. Goaltender Jimmy Howard is once again out with a groin injury, and although they have a fairly easy schedule moving forward, no one expected the team to post that kind of start to December.

What exactly is the problem? It’s not goaltending; beyond a 4-1 loss to Toronto in the second half of the matchup, the Red Wings have fallen in all one-goal games. It could be score effects — the concept that the team that’s ahead slacks off and ultimately loses to the more determined underdog — but that’s not normal Red Wings behavior. They don’t have the mumps, and they aren’t succumbing to as many injuries as last season.

Whatever the case may be, though, now is the time to turn it around — because otherwise, they might have to start moving some players around.

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