Red Wings’ Jeff Blashill challenges team, players respond in win over Leafs

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NHL: Detroit Red Wings at Washington Capitals
Nov 18, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill talks to his team from behind the bench against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Red Wings entered Friday night’s matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena with a 1-5-5 record in their past 11 games, including several overtime losses and a horrific 10-1 beatdown against Montreal.

Needless to say, they need to start putting wins together if they even want to think about the postseason. Following the first period of play in last night’s game, Detroit found themselves trailing 1-0 and plainly being outplayed by Mike Babcock’s squad. That’s when Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill challenged his players to give more – they responded with a 3-1 victory.

“I didn’t think we had the same level of attention to detail, compete, and work ethic that we’ve had here over the last little bit,” said Blashill. “We talked about it between periods, and I thought our guys came out and really did a good job in those areas.”

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“It wasn’t emotional. It was just, we have to be better than that and we’ve been way better than that,” he continued. “I’ve talked to our guys. We’re not going to win if we don’t do it right more than the other team. Everybody has haphazard line changes, lots of teams don’t manage the puck great — all that stuff. We can’t be like everybody else. We have to be different, and I didn’t think we were to that point.”

Blashill didn’t have any doubt that his team would respond, because despite their record in their past 11, they’ve played well for stretches and have been simply victimized by bad luck and bad bounces.

“Because we’ve got great character and we’ve done it over and over again, that’s why,” he said when asked why this time would be different. “Outside of the five periods against Montreal, I think we’ve played like this. We don’t have the results to show for it, I get that, but this is how we’ve played, and I just have lots of faith that we have guys that will answer the bell when called upon.”

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“We talked about it after the first. It wasn’t good enough,” said Tomas Tatar, who scored his 10th of the season in the third period. “The games before, we played the right way and did a lot of good stuff. We just said we have to play the same way and build on that, and I think in the second and third we played great.”

The team knows they’ll have to keep their emotions in check if they intend to navigate through the season and make a run at a playoff berth.

“I’ve always been somebody that really feels strongly you have to make sure you don’t let the emotions of wins and losses cloud your vision of how you played,” Blashill said.

“Most people don’t stay with the process when you don’t get results. I believe that our guys have continued to do it and continued to stay with it, “Blashill continued. “It’s tough, it’s frustrating, it’s demoralizing when you’re not getting the results. But it shows the character that we have in the locker room that we can continuously come up with the right process it takes to be successful.”