Detroit — The whole strength-of-schedule argument that was going to work against the Red Wings during this playoff chase hasn’t yet been much of a thing.
Part of it is that the Wings are playing well, as they did Sunday in defeating Florida, 2-1. It was the fourth consecutive game in which the Wings (36-33-7) have earned points (3-0-1), who continue to hang close to an Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
But this Florida (44-29-4) team didn’t at all resemble the defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers lineup of a year ago. The Panthers were without Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett — arguably their best four forwards — and defensemen Aaron Ekblad (suspension) and Gustav Forsling. The four forwards and Forsling are resting injuries of varying degrees.
It was a decimated Panthers lineup. Somewhat similarly Friday, Carolina rested key players in a 5-3 victory.
But the Wings are taking advantage, against whatever lineup they see, and doing their job.
“I was saying before the game, I wish some of those guys were in the lineup because you look over in warmups and you go, ‘Where is everybody?'” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “You don’t have disrespect or anything, but you let your guard down and the workers come out (for the other team). Sometimes, it’s tougher to play in that environment.
“We can’t control who we face and what the lineup is like, and who plays and how much they play. We control what we can. I don’t know what we’re going to get going forward, but it really doesn’t matter.”
Alex DeBrincat (power play, his 35th goal) and J.T. Compher (10th goal) scored second-period goals and goaltender Cam Talbot stopped 32 shots, as the Wings kept their late-season charge moving along.
Florida’s Mackie Samsoskevich scored his 15th goal with 40 seconds left in regulation time, cutting the lead to 2-1. But Talbot made a glove save on Anton Lundell with two seconds left to preserve the victory.
“I can’t tip my hat to him (Talbot) enough; good goaltending gives you an opportunity,” McLellan said. “It doesn’t have to be every save, but it has to be the saves and he made a couple of those. Again, reminiscent of Boston (last week), almost the same spot and same type of shot (to save the game) but he made some earlier too.”
Talbot spotted Lundell and had good fortune on his side.
“I just tried to stay patient,” Talbot said. “I lost sight of the puck for a second and when it goes to the flank, he’s going to try to put it toward the net with that much time left. He makes a good play to get it through the seam there, and it’s just desperation, get as much of body as I can to the other side of the net and make the save. Luckily, it fell right underneath me and I was able to cover up.”
The Florida lineup had an array of checkers and grit players, and not much offensive skill. It made for a different type of night for the Wings.
“Their workers really worked and made it hard to execute plays,” McLellan said. “There was less execution and sometimes it’s hard to play in those types of games. We relied on good goaltending and the power play got us a goal.
“We’ll take the two points and we’re not going to overanalyze it.”
The Wings begin a three-game road trip Tuesday in Montreal, which holds the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. It’s an environment and late season, pressure situation, they are looking forward to playing in.
“It’s probably the biggest game of the year,” DeBrincat said. “We definitely have to come ready to play. Montreal is a fun building to play in. I don’t think we’re going to have any problem getting up for the game and being ready to go. It’s just a matter of playing our game and doing whatever we can to win.”
Talbot has gotten the start in each of these past four games in which the Wings have earned points. Talbot will start Tuesday in Montreal in such a pivotal game, but it’ll be interesting to see how he’s handled the rest of the way. The Wings have six games (five on the road) in the last 11 days of the season.
“This time of the year, you want your team to count on you and it’s been nice to have the coaching staff and the guys having my back,” Talbot said. “I want to do everything I can to help this group win.”
@tkulfan
