Derek Lalonde: No more 'casual' any day for Detroit Red Wings
The message to the Detroit Red Wings came down to one word, used extensively by coach Derek Lalonde after they squandered yet another lead on Thursday night: "Casual."
"Casual," he continued. "We have to be on edge all the time. We are not good enough to coast through games. We get very casual, and we get what deserve."
The Wings' four-goal second-period lead Thursday dissolved into a 6-5 overtime loss against one of the NHL's worst teams, prompting a reminder that the Wings' playoff situation is far from set in stone in early December.
The Wings host another team struggling in the standings Saturday when Atlantic Division cellar-dweller Ottawa comes to Little Caesars Arena. The Senators will afford an opportunity — and a familiar foe — for the Wings to show they learned something against the Sharks.
THURSDAY'S ACTION: Patrick Kane pointless as Red Wings squander 4-goal lead
"We were really casual, even up to that 4-0 lead, we were extremely casual," Lalonde said. "Probably fortunate to come out of that first period 0-0, and probably got what we deserved with how casual — we got outworked all night. It's another learning lesson: We have to be on all the time to be successful in this league."
The Wings blew a 4-0 lead Tuesday at Buffalo (another team dragging in the division), but at 4-3, they bore down and took advantage of the Sabres having pulled their goalie to score an empty-net goal. The game before that, at Montreal, the Wings led 3-0 and 4-2 before needing overtime to win, 5-4.
"It's frustrating, disappointing for sure, something that it seems like we've been doing that recently in third periods, let teams back in it," Wings forward David Perron said. "Just frustrating."
The Wings (14-7-4) have 13 points over their past eight games. They returned from Sweden seemingly committed to an identity built from defense, allowing just three goals their first three games stateside. Even in the fourth game, a 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Nov. 28, giving up three goals to the Metropolitan Division leaders wasn't terrible. But in their past three games — again, the Canadiens, Sabres and Sharks — the Wings have given up 13 goals, exposing their goaltenders to odd-man rushes and seemingly endless easy offense.
"It's not sustainable to win like that, and even if you win like that, it's not going anywhere," Lalonde said. "We came back from Europe, those first three wins, we were defending way better. Of late, we needed five to win in Montreal, four to win (in Buffalo), and we score five at home and find a way to lose. It's disappointing.
"It's just the casual lack of urgency — you can see the odd-man (rush) developing and we're just lazy and casual away from the puck, and hoping — that's cheating hockey. That's not winning hockey. We got what deserved."
The last time the Wings played the Senators was in Sweden, when it was the Wings who whittled away at a four-goal deficit before losing in overtime.
Thursday's loss to the Sharks overshadowed Patrick Kane's debut, but Saturday affords a chance to amend.
"You could feel the energy in the building all night with his return," Perron said. "But with the game, we have to find a way to move on, turn the page quickly, and realize that we have to take care of each other a little bit better."
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Derek Lalonde rips Detroit Red Wings for casual, lazy performance
