RECAP: Red Wings shut out on the road by Flyers, 1-0

PHILADELPHIA --- The Detroit Red Wings kept it close until the final horn sounded, but the Philadelphia Flyers were the only club to light the lamp at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night.

“I think if you look at the scoreboard, it says it pretty good,” Moritz Seider said after the Red Wings' 1-0 shutout loss to the Flyers. "We didn’t give up too much, but also we just didn’t create enough. That’s an honest reflection on the game.”

Detroit goalie Alex Lyon stopped 14 of 15 shots before exiting the game at 6:10 of the second period. Appearing to be in discomfort after making an impressive twisting save, Lyon was helped off the ice then replaced by fellow goaltender Ville Husso, who made 18 saves in relief.

“Probably upper body there,” Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said about Lyon's injury status. “We’ll see how it goes. Haven’t heard anything yet.”

With the loss, the Red Wings fell to 15-11-4 (34 points) on the season. The win extended the Flyers' (17-10-3; 37 points) point streak to eight straight games.

Applying pressure and sustaining zone time early in the first period, Philadelphia scored Saturday’s lone goal at 6:21 after a shot went off the stick of J.T. Compher in front of Detroit's net. 

“They’re a hard-working team and we had to match that,” Jeff Petry said. “I think it took us a little bit in the first period to match that intensity. As the game went on, we did that.”

The Red Wings had several chances to tie the score throughout the final 40 minutes but came up empty on three power-play opportunities, including two in the middle frame. Standing tall all night, Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson finished with 33 saves. 

Robby Fabbri left the ice with 11:23 remaining in the third period after being cut from a hit to the face by Philadelphia defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, but later returned to the game.

“We didn’t get enough traffic, complicated our breakouts a little bit too much and then obviously couldn’t get something on the power play,” Seider said. “I thought we still created momentum. After that, we were in it even more. I thought there were times we were a lot closer to getting one (goal) than them getting their second.”

Compher and Klim Kostin both returned to Detroit’s lineup on Saturday. Kostin missed the last four games because of an undisclosed injury, while Compher was sidelined for the last five contests with an upper-body injury.

“I thought they were both pretty good,” Lalonde said about Compher and Kostin. “Helped our group. I think the four lines were a necessity tonight. I liked both of them so again, hopefully a positive. Probably see both of them back in on Monday.”

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will look to snap a two-game skid on Monday night, hosting the Anaheim Ducks at Little Caesars Arena.

QUOTABLE

Lalonde on Detroit's recent defensive play

“Giving up two (goals) and giving up one, that should be enough to win. Hopefully that’s sustainable. We’ll be successful if we can do that.”

Petry on what the Flyers did so well defensively

“They do a good job of all five guys coming back to that dangerous area and working from there. I think on the forecheck we had a good first guy, then they were able to move it by. It’s kind of like that Carolina game – they’re not afraid to flip pucks and skate in. I think that was a little bit of an issue.”

Petry on how the Red Wings can turn things around

“I think there’s different things throughout different games. It’s not one thing that’s standing out. Like I said, when things aren’t going the way you want them, just (need) to stay positive. Make sure we’re doing all the right things, kind of simplify things.”