Sizzling Power Play Fuels Red Wings Winning Streak

Lots of things have gone right for the Detroit Red Wings during their ongoing seven-game winning streak, but no aspect of their game is thriving as clearly or to as extreme a degree as the power play.  Detroit has at least one power play goal in each game of the winning streak, and two or more PPGs in five of those seven games, including three last night to knock off the Seattle Kraken.

During the winning streak, the Red Wings have converted on 13 of their 31 power plays (41.2%).  The top unit of Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane, and Moritz Seider has accounted for 11 of those 13 goals, with relatively even distribution: four for Larkin, three for Kane, and two each for DeBrincat and Raymond.

As penalty kills around the league adopt a more passive approach, power plays have responded in kind by moving from a 1–3–1 look (perfected over the course of the 2010s by teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals) to more of a 2–3 spread.  The Red Wings have found tremendous success with that look, despite not using a traditional net-front player, in large part because of their fluidity, with changing points of attack and positional interchanges sewing confusion for the opposing PK.

"The special teams have been a big part of the wins since Christmas," said coach Todd McLellan after last night's win.  "I don't think we've lost the special teams battle.  Maybe the Toronto night, I can't even remember that game anymore.  Since then, I don't think we've came out on the short end.  The power play's clicking right now.  It feels confident.  It's not the same look all the time.  The pieces are interchangeable.  It makes it hard to prepare to defend it.  Sometimes you get just stationary, and then you can anticipate what might be coming."

Detroit won't keep up a 40%+ pace for the rest of the season on the PP, but the ingredients are in place for the man advantage to remain an effective weapon as the Red Wings chase a playoff berth.  For more on this dynamic, check out the featured video above.

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