Empty Net, Empty Feeling: Red Wings’ Offense Goes Silent in 1-0 Vegas Loss
Well, that was a frustrating way to end a road trip, losing to the Golden Knights 1-0. It was just a couple of hours before the final horn that I told my son that a win would be a remarkable finish to the west coast swing. I’m sure Wings fans everywhere were hoping for a statement win, a punctuation mark that says this team has arrived. Instead, what we got was a shutout loss that felt like the road trip finally caught up to them. No doubt, though, finishing 3-2-0 away from Little Caesars Arena is an acceptable outcome as far as I’m concerned.
Watching the broadcast, the story of this game was written in the margins, in the missed opportunities and the suffocating defense played by Vegas. The Red Wings simply couldn’t generate sustained pressure. It was a classic goaltender’s duel, but in the end, all it took was one goal to separate the road trip from being good to a smashing success.
A Goaltending Masterclass Wasted
Let’s start with the brightest spot on an otherwise dull night: John Gibson. He was fantastic, turning away 33 of the 34 shots he faced. He was square to the puck, controlled his rebounds, and made a series of high-danger saves that kept Detroit in a game they had no business being in. There was a point in the second period, with Vegas buzzing the net, that Gibson came up with two or three good saves that had me believing he might steal this one.
Unfortunately, one mistake was all it took. The lone goal was a tough break, where Gibson couldn’t cover the rebound, and Ivan Barbashev tossed it over his right pad. But in a game where your offense provides zero support, a tough luck goal like that is all it took.
The outcome could have been worse. With just over four minutes left in the 3rd period, Jeremy Lauzon whipped a shot past Gibson for what appeared to be an insurance goal for the Knights. Detroit challenged the goal, and it was determined that Brett Howden carried the puck in offsides before passing it to Lauzon. At that moment, I thought this might be the break the Wings needed.
Unfortunately for the Wings, they couldn’t get one past Akira Schmid, who earned his first shutout of the season. The shots were 34-27 in favor of Vegas, but the quality of those chances felt vastly different.
There were opportunities, though. Alex DeBrincat had a golden (see what I did there) opportunity to tie the game, taking a pass from Mason Appleton and going in all alone, coming up short on a wrist shot and then again on the rebound. It was that kind of night, where nothing was going to get past Shmid. DeBrincat has been really good lately, and you thought he was going to net another to give the Wings hope. Not on this night.
Where Did the Offense Go?
You can’t win if you don’t score. It’s the most basic tenet of sports, and it was on full display Tuesday night. The Red Wings’ top players were largely neutralized, and Schmid held up when called upon.
The power play was particularly anemic. Going 0-for-3 on the night, and was a stark reminder that they need Patrick Kane back as soon as possible. His playmaking ability on the Power Play was missed on this trip, and might have been the difference last night.
The return of defenseman Noah Hanifin for the Golden Knights, fresh off injured reserve, certainly didn’t help matters. He logged significant minutes and was a steadying presence on their blue line, disrupting Detroit’s rhythm all night. The Knights played a tight, disciplined game, clogging the neutral zone and forcing the Wings to dump the puck in, a battle Detroit consistently lost along the boards.
Nights like these happen, where nothing hits the back of the net and you just have to turn the page.
A Road Trip of Two Halves
Detroit had an opportunity to move into the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Instead, they remain a point behind Montreal. Finishing a five-game road trip with a 3-2-0 record is, on paper, a success. No one would call that a failure. But context matters. The trip started with great promise—impressive wins against the Blues and Kings, where the offense looked lively and the team played confidently. After a disappointing loss in Anaheim, the Wings followed up with a thrilling overtime win against San Jose. The stage was set to cap it all off with a big win in Vegas.
John Gibson did his part. The rest of the team did not.
But let’s be honest, if you told me the Wings were going to bank six out of a possible ten points on this trip, I would have been pleased. Play 500 hockey on the road and take care of business at home, and you have a recipe for success. So, as a fan, I’m satisfied with the result.
[AFFILIATE_LINK: TICKETS, “Get Your Tickets for the Next Red Wings Home Game”]
Next Up
The team will finally return home to the friendly confines of Little Caesars Arena. They get a couple of days to rest and regroup before facing off against the New York Rangers this Friday night. The puck drops at 7:00 PM EST in what has now become a crucial game to get the offense back on track and wash away the frustration of this road trip finale.
With any hope, Patrick Kane will be ready to get back on the ice this weekend.
How will the Red Wings respond on home ice after being shut down so completely? Drop your comments below, or head on over to the Red Wings Wheelhouse for more discussion.
Info gathered from team reports, pressers & trusted Michigan outlets — the way we always do it at Mitten Sports Talk.
