Red Wings fall behind early, can't overcome Stars

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News on Jan 19, 2025

Published in Hockey

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DALLAS — You hear about the new-coach "bump" and how a team gets hot after a mid-season coaching change. That happened to the Detroit Red Wings when coach Todd McLellan came aboard on Dec. 26 with a 7-1-0 start.

But the bump does wear off. And Sunday's 4-1 loss in Dallas might be another indication the Wings are falling back to their level, having now lost three of their last four games.

Dallas scored three first-period goals and Stars goalie Jake Oettinger made 33 saves to pace the victory.

Simon Edvinsson scored his fifth goal, at 12 minutes 1 second of the third period, cutting the Dallas lead to 3-1. Edvinsson got the puck in the high slot from Dylan Larkin, skated down to the hash marks, and ripped a shot past Oettinger.

But any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Wyatt Johnston got behind the Wings and slipped his 11th goal past goaltender Alex Lyon at 14:09 to regain the three-goal Dallas lead, 4-1.

Matej Blumel, Jason Robertson (power play) and Mavrik Bourque scored first-period Dallas goals, essentially putting the game away.

Blumel scored his first NHL goal, slamming a rebound in the slot at 5:26, after the Wings couldn't convert an early power play. Robertson made it 2-0 at 13:05, on the power play, scoring his 15th goal. Robertson found himself open net-front and tapped in a rebound.

Bourque scored 1:13 after Robertson's goal, snapping a shot from the circle and giving the Stars (29-16-1) a 3-0 lead.

Lyon stopped 21 shots for the Wings in his first start since suffering a lower-body injury Dec. 7.

The Wings' power play, so potent since McLellan has taken over behind the bench, failed to convert Sunday on three opportunities (after a 1-for-6 evening Saturday in Tampa).

The Wings (21-21-4) conclude this four-game road trip, which they're now 1-2-0, Tuesday in Philadelphia.

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