Copyright M Live Michigan
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings boasted a cohesive and potent top power play unit last season and at the start of this year. Lately, it’s been struggling, and you know what they say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So, after going 0 for 13 on the power play the past four games and 1 for 20 during a 1-4-0 stretch, the Red Wings will have a slightly different look to their units when they host Anaheim on Thursday, trying to snap a three-game losing streak (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network). They worked extensively on special teams during Wednesday’s practice – they also need to fix a penalty kill that allowed three goals in a 5-1 loss to Chicago Sunday. The focus for the power play was getting a better net presence and getting shots through with bodies in front. “Net front on the power play we’ve tried a lot of different individuals but why run to the end zone if the quarterback never throws the ball there?” coach Todd McLellan said. “The quarterback and the receivers have to be on the same page. And we need people to get the puck there if we’re going to go there. The pieces all go together and it’s a big challenge for all five guys on the power play right now. Everything from face-offs to entries and possession to establishing an attack mentality and then running your plays off of it. “The attempts and actual shots on goal were quite high. But it’s what we did with the shots. Some of them were just fluff shots. And those fluff shots are dangerous if somebody’s in the eyes and somebody’s prepared to deflect or screen or play off a rebound. But we didn’t have them. What comes off the volume is what’s important and we lacked in that area.” Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, fixtures on the top unit, manned the flanks on the second unit in practice, while Nate Danielson, fresh off his NHL debut, and fellow rookie Emmitt Finnie got some work on the first until with Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider. “Recently we haven’t been getting it done and trying something else right now,” Raymond said. “I think everyone knows what we’re doing. We have so many skilled players that it’s easy to mix and match. We have to get results and try something else.” McLellan at one point during a drill had Cam Talbot speak to what’s the best approach. “We were in a situation where let’s ask Talbs what causes problems for goaltenders,’ McLellan said. “It isn’t always the coaching staff that can teach or bring up situations. Sometimes we ask the players and I think that was very helpful. They’re the ones that have to fight through screens and reads and that type of stuff. Why wouldn’t we ask them what causes problems?” Kane said they might need more of a five-on-five mentality on the power play. “Maybe we need to get better at retrieving, get it back to the top and try to set up again,” he said. “I think we’re pretty confident in our power play with what we’ve done in the past. Get that thing going again and I think that helps the five-on-five game, too.”
