The Red Wings road trip didn't start the way they wanted it to, by any stretch.
Vancouver defeated the Wings, 5-1, Tuesday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, as the Wings opened a quick three-games-in-four-days trip through western Canada.
The loss dropped the Wings to 3-3 on the season.
Through the opening five games, there were stretches where the Red Wings' didn't play well, but not for lengthy periods of game.
But Tuesday, many facets of the Wings' game simply weren't good enough, despite Dylan Larkin opening the scoring 30 seconds into the game and getting the Wings going quickly.
The Wings became too loose and sloppy defensively in the second period, the special teams became a huge factor in Vancouver's favor, and the Wings fell apart.
Whatever chance the Wings had of cutting, or overcoming, a 4-1 third-period deficit came and went after the Wings failed to convert during a 1 minute, 37 second two-man advantage.
The Larkin line completely dominated the Canucks, with Anthony Mantha being stopped on a good chance by goaltender Thatcher Demko, before Mantha found Larkin alone in the slot, and Larkin froze Demko, then put in his second goal of the season.
The Canucks had been throttled most of the first period, but Troy Stetcher put the Canucks on the board at 17:58. Mike Green turned the puck over at his blue line, starting a Canucks rush going the other way. Jake Virtanen found Stetcher trailing, and the defenseman beat goaltender Jonathan Bernier (27 saves) tying the score.
Vancouver exploded for three second-period goals. Defenseman Alex Edler scored at 1:13, on the power play, with a shot from the high slot. Elias Pettersson made it 3-1 at 3:48, tipping in a rebound of Tyler Myers' shot from the point. J.T. Miller completed the flurry at 12:45, on the power play, redirecting Edler's shot from the high slot.
Miller got his second goal in the third period, again on the power play, with a snap shot from the hashmarks.
