Three takeaways from Red Wings' 4-2 loss to Blue Jackets

Daniel Renouf's shot found its way through Elvis Merzlikins' legs, and the Detroit Red Wings suddenly had life.
After the Columbus Blue Jackets had outshot and outplayed the Red Wings for much of Wednesday night's contest, Renouf's third-period goal tied a game that the Blue Jackets had led by two just minutes earlier. Riley Barber scored the first goal for the Red Wings, getting free on a break and putting one past Merzlikins. Then it was Renouf with a wrist shot from a tight angle at 6:39, tying a game whose outcome had looked all but determined.

The celebration, though, would be short-lived. Less than a minute after Renouf's equalizer, Blue Jackets forward Jakub Voracek played a rebound off a short hop, getting his stick on the puck before goalie Alex Nedeljkovic had time to react to put Columbus back up, 3-2. Patrik Laine added another Blue Jackets goal with a piece of individual brilliance late in the game to make it 4-2, where the game would finish.
Here are three takeaways.

Strong effort from Nedeljkovic

The Red Wings defense was not at its best on Wednesday. But Nedeljkovic had about as good a night as anyone could ask for.
Nedeljkovic faced a high shot volume, especially early on, and did as much as he could. Though he gave up three power-play goals, he saved 33 of 37 attempts, dealing with frequent extended zone time for the Blue Jackets and standing on his head at various points.
In the first period, he stopped a bouncing puck in front of net as the Red Wings faced a delayed penalty, then later on took a puck off his head on another chance in front of the net that he ultimately kept out. When the Red Wings lost Jack Roslovic on the right side late in the second, Nedeljkoovic again played the hero, turning and making the save off a diagonal pass to the Columbus forward.
Even on Voracek's go-ahead goal, there was little Nedeljkovic would do - Voracek was in the right place at the right time and made a fantastic play on the puck.
"I thought he got better in the second," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "Played good. I thought in the third, didn't see a ton of action and obviously a couple go in. Breakaway is a tough one against that shooter. Little bit of an unfortunate bounce off the back wall. I thought it was a step and a step in the right direction."
This was a game where the Red Wings needed Nedeljkovic to play at his best, and he did. It wasn't enough for a win, but it certainly kept the game from getting out of hand.

Video: Post Game Comments | 10/6/21 | Columbus

Raymond, Ryan could both make roster

Neither Lucas Raymond nor Bobby Ryan did much worth noting on Wednesday, besides being involved in a handful of scoring chances that ultimately didn't convert.
Raymond played 16:44 and got off one shot, while Ryan played 16:24 with two shots and one hit. In the grand scheme of a preseason where both have generally been among the Red Wings' top players, that amounts to a solid game for both, but doesn't particularly stand out. But what was noteworthy were Blashill's comments pregame when asked if both players could make the roster.
"I think there's always a world for that," Blashill said. "We're not gonna release somebody or not keep somebody that's gonna make us way better. And whatever that means for the other guys involved, that means for the other guys involved. So yeah."
Raymond, a rookie who many had slated as likely to begin the season in Grand Rapids, and Ryan, who the Red Wings signed to a tryout contract ahead of camp, have both impressed in the preseason enough to be on the roster bubble. As things stand after Wednesday's game, both have a chance of making the Red Wings' 23-man roster. But the assumption had been that, because of circumstances surrounding other players, getting them both on the roster could be a tough ask.
Those comments from Blashill don't change that. But they are a signal that, if both continue to play well, the Red Wings will do what's necessary to have them in the lineup.
"Both of them played great and (if) we feel like they are both gonna help our hockey team be a way better hockey team, then we'll keep them," Blashill said. "They're in different spots. I think there's a different thought process with Lucas than with Bobby.
"… With both, I would say if you play great hockey, you don't get denied. I would just leave it at that."

Penalty kill gives up three

The Red Wings struggled to keep the puck out of their defensive zone for most of the first period, but at even strength, they did keep the puck out of the net. The same couldn't be said for when they were down a man, though.
The Blue Jackets scored on their first two power play chances - Oliver Bjorkstrand getting on the board first at 14:14 when he collected a Boone Jenner rebound in front of net and put it past Nedeljkovic. Zach Werenski scored the second just a few minutes later at 17:32, going top shelf from the high slot and getting it through a screen in front of Nedeljkovic.
The penalty kill has generally played fine during the preseason, with Wednesday's struggles being the first issues for the unit.
"I think you kinda take everything with a little bit of a grain of salt (in the preseason), but our PK overall, is there certain adjustments we can make a little bit? Yes," Blashill said. "We certainly can't panic. We just gotta stay with it. We gotta keep getting better within our structure. That's what we're gonna do."
Columbus added a third power-play goal in the third period, with Laine skating through all four Detroit skaters to get free in front of net and putting one past Nedeljkovic.
"Some of it's obviously there's different personnel in," Blashill said. "Some guys have played and they're comfortable. Some haven't and aren't super comfortable in it. We gotta make sure the guys that play Game 1 (against) Tampa are comfortable."