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Red Wings streak ends in Ottawa

Jimmy Howard came through with 34 saves but a four-game winning streak came to an end with a 2-1 loss.
Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) makes a save against Ottawa Senators left wing Ryan Dzingel (18) in the first period at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2018.(Photo: Marc DesRosiers, USA TODAY Sports)

OTTAWA, Ont. — The Detroit Red Wings faced another rally as penalty problems left them short on the bench and on the scoreboard.

They trailed by a goal entering the third period against the Ottawa Senators Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre, faced with mounting a comeback for the fourth time in the last five games. Jimmy Howard came through with 34 saves but a four-game winning streak came to an end with a 2-1 loss.

Not even two penalty shots could buoy the Wings — Andreas Athanasiou didn’t take a great shot on his attempt and Craig Anderson easily stopped Michael Rasmussen’s attempt, both of them in the third period.

‘Penalty on Wings No. 9’

The Senators took punches in the first period. First, rookie Brady Tkachuk made quick work of Justin Abdelkader in brief fight, at 4:38. At 6:42, Dylan DeMelo put the puck in Detroit’s net when he connected on Matt Duchene’s pass in the right circle, taking advantage of Howard not being able to see. The Wings challenged goaltender interference, and upon review officials ruled Drake Batherson had interfered with Howard prior to DeMelo’s goal.

After that was sorted out, there was the matter of announcing a penalty on the Wings. The announcer first said “penalty on Wings No. 9” — that is, Gordie Howe’s number.

Then it was announced as being on Anthony Mantha, who is No. 39, before finally it was Wade Megan, No. 22, who skated to the penalty box to serve two minutes for hooking.

Points piling

Mike Green, who missed the first nine games of the season battling a virus, fired a shot from the top of the right point that Rasmussen deflected past Craig Anderson thanks to being in front of the net. It was Rasmussen’s second goal in two games and Green’s fourth point in two games. The goal tied the game after Cody Ceci scored with 38.8 seconds left in the first period.

Big kill amid penalty problems

The Senators made it 2-1 at 7:05 of the second when Drake Batherson scored while Dylan Larkin was in the penalty box for slashing. The Wings went on a third penalty kill 40 seconds later when Mantha was called for boarding, and faced being two skaters down for 52 seconds when Larkin was called for tripping. Luke Glendening, Niklas Kronwall and Danny DeKeyser, and then Frans Nielsen, Nick Jensen and Trevor Daley did such a good job during the extended kill Howard didn’t have to make but two saves during the stretch. Spending so much time shorthanded meant little offensive zone time, and the Wings were outshot 11-1 to start the second period. Two power plays at least generated some attack time, and shots after two periods were 28-19 to Ottawa.

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