The Golden Knights have been playing some fine hockey over the last few weeks, especially in Jack Eichel’s absence. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to end their Metropolitan roadie on a high note. They lost 5-2 to the Red Wings at Little Caesar’s Arena on Saturday night.
“We got down two on the road at the end of a road trip and got ourselves back in the game by scoring gritty goals around the front of the net,” said coach Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “We ran into a Detroit team that’s playing better. They protected the lead well in the third. They didn’t they didn’t give us anything, we were forced to earn it and we weren’t able to do that.”
The Red Wings brought a 3-2 lead into the first intermission after a first period full of fireworks. Dylan Larkin and Jake Walman each tallied goals before the 10 minute mark of the period, giving Detroit an early 2-0 lead.
The Golden Knights got those two back almost as quickly, as Ivan Barbashev and Paul Cotter each scored near the 8 and 11 minute marks of the opening stanza, respectively. That would unfortunately be the last time the Knights found the net all night.
With just under 2 minutes remaining in the first, Detroit’s Joe Veleno converted on the power play to give the Red Wings a 3-2 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
The second period went quietly. Andrew Copp added extra insurance with a goal near the midway point of the final stanza. Dylan Larkin tallied his second goal of the net on an empty netter that set the final score at 5-2.
The Golden Knights are now on their all-star break, and with no players making the trip to Toronto this should serve as a big week of recovery for the team. They play again next Tuesday, February 6 against the Oilers at T-Mobile Arena with puck drop set for 7 p.m.
