{"id":536264,"date":"2026-04-02T08:59:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T08:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/536264\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T08:59:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T08:59:21","slug":"red-wings-just-cant-score-detroit-hockey-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/536264\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Wings Just Can’t Score \/ Detroit Hockey Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are myriad reasons why the Detroit<\/a> Red Wings find themselves adrift and on the outside looking in when it comes to the NHL playoff race. Ultimately, though, it comes down to one pertinent fact.<\/p>\n

They just can\u2019t score.<\/p>\n

The Red Wings have won only eight of their past 23 games. Over that span, they are averaging 2.347 goals per game. <\/p>\n

The red wings are incapable of scoring a goal<\/p>\n

\u2014 Mitch Eegan, CFA, MBA (@HamesJarbaugh) March 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

In 12 of those 23 games, the Red Wings have scored two or fewer goals. They are 2-9-1 in those games.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to win the race to three, as Detroit coach Todd McLellan likes to categorize NHL games, when you can\u2019t even get to three.<\/p>\n

McLellan believes that his team\u2019s inability to find the back of the net consistently creates a vicious cycle that ultimately leads to their downfall.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, I think we\u2019re chasing goals because we haven\u2019t scored a lot, so we\u2019re paying the price for it defensively,\u201d McLellan said. \u201cAnd then when we focus defensively, we give up the offensive part. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to get both parts of our game going at the same time. When we do find that, we\u2019ll give ourselves at least an opportunity to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

So Many Red Wings Are Struggling Offensively<\/p>\n

What\u2019s further perplexing about the issue is the sheer number of Red Wings players who are enduring dry spells when it comes to goal scoring. Mason Appleton has scored one goal over the past 33 games. <\/p>\n

Andrew Copp has scored one goal in 24 games, and James van Riemsdyk<\/a> has tallied once in 21 games. Before he was injured, Michael Rasmussen was pointless in 22 games. David Perron<\/a> is also pointless through eight games since being acquired from the Ottawa Senators.<\/p>\n

JT Compher has two goals in 21 games, while Marco Kasper has netted a pair through the past 17 games. Emmitt Finnie has one goal in 12 games.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re on our heels,\u201d Captain Dylan Larkin<\/a> said. \u201cWe\u2019re not creating bounces for ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five players \u2013 Lucas Raymond (four), Alex DeBrincat (four), Patrick Kane (four), Dominik Shine (three), and Larkin (two) \u2013 have accounted for 54.8% of Detroit\u2019s last 31 goals. And despite his three goals in 14 games since being recalled from the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins<\/a>, the Red Wings made Shine a healthy scratch for Tuesday\u2019s loss at Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n