Detroit Red Wings end LCA schedule with embarrassing 6-1 loss to Dallas Stars

Ville Husso, who has been so key to the Wings’ overall improvement this season, struggled for a third straight start and was pulled before the first period ended. Magnus Hellberg let in another three goals in relief. The skaters didn’t help with their defensive breakdowns. It was, all in all, a sour way to say goodbye.

The Wings are on an 0-2-1 slide toward Thursday’s finish line. They play Tuesday at the Carolina Hurricanes — another team with playoff positioning on the line — and finish at the Tampa Bay Lightning. The losing does at least keep the Wings among the bottom 11 teams in the NHL standings, putting them in play for the draw to pick first overall.

Why Husso was in net

Derek Lalonde referred to Husso making his 55th start as the team “pushing him probably past his threshold.” Husso is being monitored daily to see how a lower-body injury that sidelined him for two weeks in mid-March responds after every outing. He delivered a shutout in his first reappearance, but that was against a Montreal Canadiens team with a decimated roster. Husso allowed six goals to the Buffalo Sabers (shootout goals don’t count as an individual statistic), followed by five goals to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Wings have managed to keep Alex Nedeljkovic in Detroit in case he is needed, even though he had to come off the roster once Husso returned because Nedeljkovic was called up under an emergency situation.

Hellberg takes over

Husso was dinged twice in the first 10 minutes by the Stars. Roope Hintz scored in less than five minutes when he got to the net to redirect the puck, unencumbered by Simon Edvinsson’s attempt to catch him. Hintz set up Esa Lindell’s goal at 7:59. At 12:10, Ty Dellandrea made it 3-0, on what was the Stars’ fifth shot on net. That ended Husso’s time in net, with Hellberg coming in in relief to make his first appearance since giving up six goals on March 31 at the Winnipeg Jets.

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Stars run up score

Jason Robertson scored on a power play in the opening minute of the second period. By the time that period was four minutes old it was 5-0, with Joe Pavelski earning his 1,000th career point on his 27th goal of the season. The puck went into Detroit’s net near the seven-minute mark but video review confirmed Joel Kiviranta kicked the puck into the net. That left it to Jamie Benn, then, to make it 6-0, when he tipped Colin Miller’s shot at 14:19. David Perron put the Wings on the scoreboard at 16:50 of the second period. The Wings played better in the third period, but by then the Stars were so comfortable they rested their starter, Jake Oettinger, and put in backup Scott Wedgwood.

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