Killer Instinct: Wings Must Improve Dismal PK
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If the Red wings have a glaring weakness heading into the second round of the playoffs, it is their penalty kill. Detroit’s PK rate through four games against Phoenix was a disappointing 66.7% which is only better than the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Key to this statistic is the fact that the Wings have struggled more on the road (40.0%) than at home (76.9%).
The Red Wings entered the playoffs with a respectable 82.3% kill rate, but they failed to adapt to changes in the officiating causing them to take an uncharacteristic number of penalties. Detroit was also without key forward Henrik Zetterberg who takes a regular shift on the penalty kill.
While the Wings wait for their next opponent to determined, there is no doubt that extra emphasis will be placed on improving the penalty kill once they resume skating. They will need to eliminate the needless penalties that plagued them during the opening round, but also improve their defensive play in a penalty kill situation.
A timely penalty kill can lead to a momentum shift in playoff hockey and often it can be the difference between winning and losing. The Wings did have some timely kills against Phoenix, but their overall record is a cause for concern. If Detroit can’t find a way to improve their efficiency, then their once promising playoff run could be short lived.