RECAP: Red Wings stumble in 7-2 road loss to Avalanche

COLORADO – The Detroit Red Wings grabbed an early first-period lead, but ultimately couldn’t slow down the Colorado Avalanche in a 7-2 loss at Ball Arena on Wednesday night.

In net for the Red Wings (33-23-6; 72 points), goalie Alex Lyon stopped 35-of-40 shots through the first two periods before being replaced by netminder James Reimer (12-of-14 shots) to open the final frame. Finishing with 27 saves, goaltender Alexandar Georgiev helped Colorado (39-20-5; 83 points) earn a split of the season series with Detroit.

“That’s a team that can expose you defensively,” Ben Chiarot said. “Obviously they did that today. It’s a lot to work on and a lot to correct. We have to get that desperation back that we had. It’s obviously not there right now, and we need to get it back in a hurry.”

Robby Fabbri’s power-play goal at 1:48 of the first period gave Detroit a quick 1-0 advantage. After receiving a pass from Shayne Gostisbehere, Alex DeBrincat’s one-timer from the left face-off circle deflected off Fabbri’s skate near the right post and into the net.

With the secondary assist on Fabbri’s 16th goal of the season, Gostisbehere became the sixth defenseman in Red Wings history to record 40 points in his first season with the club.

During the first TV timeout, the Avalanche welcomed J.T. Compher, who spent his first seven NHL seasons (2016-23) in Colorado, back with a tribute video.

Evening the score at 1-1 for Colorado at 5:15 of the first period, Cale Makar fired a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and past Lyon. Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon registered the primary and secondary assists on Makar’s first goal of the night, respectively.

Stretching his season-opening home point streak to 31 straight games, MacKinnon tied Bryan Trottier (1981-82) and Mario Lemieux (1995-96) for the fourth-longest such streak in NHL history.

The Red Wings took a 2-1 lead on David Perron’s 13th goal of the season at 13:30 of the first period. Perron, who was assisted by Andrew Copp and Olli Maatta, put home his own rebound from the edge of the crease.

Minutes later, MacKinnon one-timed Mikko Rantanen’s centering feed on a Colorado power play to make it a 2-2 game at 17:07 of the first period.

Artturi Lehkonen gave the Avalanche their first lead of the night at 8:49 of the second period, one-timing a behind-the-net pass from Rantanen to make it 3-2.

“I think we came out with a pretty good game plan,” Moritz Seider said. “We prepared on our side on the power play, but then we just got away from it and obviously gave too many easy chances to a really good team.”

Makar scored again at 16:12 of the middle frame, doubling Colorado's lead to 4-2. Then just 3:14 later, Makar completed his first career NHL hat trick by converting a point shot on the power play to make it 5-2.

Head coach Derek Lalonde said he felt the Red Wings looked overwhelmed and outmatched at times against the Avalanche.

“I just don’t like how we gave their top guys two easy ones in the second period because they were obviously buzzing tonight,” Lalonde said. “I think that second period got out of our hands there.”

Not letting up, Colorado went up 6-2 at 7:12 of the third period when Jonathan Drouin finished off a 2-on-1 with Miles Wood. Then at 15:25, Jean-Luc Foudy capped the scoring with his first career NHL goal for the 7-2 final.

“It’s the little things we got to sort out,” Seider said. “Hopefully we can end that (losing) streak with the next game and finish with a positive road trip here.”

NEXT UP: Detroit will continue its four-game road trip on Friday night, facing the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena for the first half of a back-to-back set.

QUOTABLE

Lalonde on Wednesday’s loss

“(The Avalanche) are going to get their looks. I just don’t like our missed coverage net front. Again, you can tell they had it going tonight.”

Seider on how the game got away from the Red Wings

“I think we played pretty solid from the start. We were head-to-head with a really good team. We just got away from what we want to do and what makes us good. Obviously you find yourself with a lot of turnovers and that’s definitely a team that’s going to make you pay for it. That definitely happened tonight.”

Chiarot on facing the Avalanche’s star talent

“You put their best players on the ice that much, on the power play and touching the puck that much, it’s not a recipe for success.”