Red Wings Surrender Lead (Again), Lose to Coyotes

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

We're a few months away from February, but the Detroit Red Wings may be thinking it's Groundhog Day in October.

For the second straight game, the Wings surrendered a one goal lead with about three minutes left in the game en route to a 3-2 OT loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.

Detroit played a solid game for most of the night. Chris Osgood was sharp early in the game and kept his team in it throughout the first period, which could have easily ended 3-1, as opposed to 1-1.

Pavel Datsyuk, returning from an upper-body injury, looked sharp right from his first shift, busting down the boards and turning Phoenix defenseman Ed Jovanaski inside out to get a great scoring chance.

Zetterberg continued his great play, creating several chances along with reunited linemate Datsyuk.

The story of the night centered around Detroit defenseman Brett Lebda, but for different reasons.

Lebda has struggled early on this season to even crack the lineup on a nightly basis.

However, midway through the game, he converted a beautiful pass by Pavel Datsyuk into a go-ahead goal, putting the Wings up 2-1.

The marker stood up as the imminent game winner until less than four minutes left in the game.

Lebda had the puck behind his own goal line and began skating out of the corner.  Facing two Coyotes, he decided to reverse the puck to defense partner Jonathan Ericsson.

However, Ericsson was nowhere near the pass and the Coyotes got control of the puck deep in the Detroit zone.

Now, what happened next was a bit controversial as the Coyotes eventually scored while seeming to push goalie Chris Osgood into the net with the puck.

This is not an allowable way to score a goal; however, the referees didn't feel that this is in fact what happened and allowed the goal to stand, making it a 2-2 game with three minutes left.

Overtime saw Detroit capitalize almost immediately as defenseman Nicklas Kronwall nearly deflected a pass by Pavel Datsyuk into the Phoenix net. 

However, shortly thereafter, Phoenix defenseman Adrian Aucoin put a rather harmless shot on net.

Osgood stopped the initial shot with his left pad, but the puck jumped up to his stick and blocker and deflected into the net.

Players and fans alike can argue that the tying goal should never have been allowed, and the game should have ended 2-1 Detroit.

But Brett Lebda's hero-to-goat story, written by his sloppy pass, is the real issue here.

With yet another giveaway, the Detroit Red Wings sealed their own fate and wasted what would have been a solid, invigorating win over one of the hottest teams in the league.

There are some bright points to mention.

Aside from the fluke OT winner, Chris Osgood played another (and I emphasize, another) solid game in goal.

Zetterberg continued to play the solid, at times, dominating game expected of him each night chipping in with two assists. 

Pavel Datsyuk looked no worse for wear, contributed two assists, and displayed his signature dekes and dangles on several occasions.

Detroit's next game is Saturday, against another early seasons surprise, the Colorado Avalanche.

The Wings will be looking to avenge their 4-3 shootout loss to the Avs last Saturday, but will be trying to do so with backup Jimmy Howard in net.

Howard has given the team no reason whatsoever to believe he will play a solid game in net, but that's what he'll need to deliver if Detroit plans on bucking their losing trend on Saturday.

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