Slow Starts Need Improvement… Fast
FollowThe Red Wings haven’t made winning games easy on themselves lately. While injuries and poor defensive zone coverage have been problems this season, of bigger concern is the Wings lackluster starts.
Saturday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres highlighted this problem. The Red Wings were outplayed by the Sabres in the first period allowing them to score two early goals taking a 2-0 lead in the game. The Red Wings eventually came back winning the game 3-2 in overtime, this pattern of late starts has become far too common place.
It is a long season and injuries and travel take a toll, but there just is no excuse for routinely playing flat early in games. There is a lot to be said for a team setting the tone early for the game as opposed to being forced to make riskier plays to force a tie.
Detroit, who sits second in the Western Conference standings, must find consistency in its starts as the NHL playoffs approach. They cannot afford to continue this pattern of “catch up hockey” if they expect to have a long playoff run.The Red Wings must learn to start as strong as they finish if they have any hope of winning the Stanley Cup this year.