A season that began with hope following a coaching change ended in familiar fashion. The Red Wings were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row and the fourth time in five seasons.
Tampa Bay’s Alex Killorn scored with 1:43 left in the third period Thursday, dealing the Red Wings a 1-0 loss in Game 5 at Amalie Arena.
A game that appeared destined for overtime was decided by a misplay.
Petr Mrazek went behind his net to play the puck but didn’t push it far enough to Jonathan Ericsson. Ryan Callahan intercepted the puck and passed out front to Killorn, who put it in while Mrazek was trying to get back.
The Red Wings didn’t go down without a fight. They outplayed the Lightning to a large degree, registering more scoring chances and playing strong defensively.
But they couldn’t beat Ben Bishop, who made 34 saves. It was his second shutout in as many years in the clinching game of a playoff series vs. Detroit.
It might have been Pavel Datsyuk’s final NHL game. He has indicated a desire to return to Russia after the season.
Datsyuk played well in the series, generating chances, but he had no points. It was the first time since 2003 he has been held without a point in a series.
The Red Wings, under Jeff Blashill’s first season as head coach, extended their playoff streak to 25 seasons but have advanced past the first round only once in five seasons. Read more of Ansar Khan’s MLive story HERE
