DETROIT _ Soft goals and sorry special teams left the Detroit Red Wings to explain another blowout loss.
They returned to Little Caesars Arena on Monday after two lousy outings on the road. Their game against the Nashville Predators began well but a disastrous second period yielded a 6-1 drubbing, the third straight time the Wings have lost by at least four goals.
Andreas Athanasiou scored his first goal of the season, and the Wings led 1-0 after the first period. A good start for a team as fragile as the Wings are right now.
The Predators came out in the second period and rolled right over the Wings. Jimmy Howard was pulled after allowing four goals in less than eight minutes. Dylan Larkin's frustration erupted when he took offense to a hit from Ryan Ellis and responded with fighting.
The Wings squandered three opportunities to grab momentum on man advantages, their power play looking ineffective again. The Predators, on the other hand, converted twice on power plays.
The loss dropped the Wings to 4-11-1 and inflated their NHL-worst goal differential to minus-29.
