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Todd McLellan sends a reminder to his Red Wings group after 2-1 win vs. Rangers on Sunday
Photo credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan sent a message to his team after last night's 2-1 win over the New York Rangers.
After a tough 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the Detroit Red Wings were at Madison Square Garden to face the New York Rangers last night for their second of back-to-back games.
The results against the Sabres were disappointing, but the Wings bounced back Sunday, beating the Rangers 2-1.
Todd McLellan was happy with his team's response:
"Really good response. I wasn't real sure how it was going to go. Obviously, we took one on the chin yesterday and were looking for some of that resilience.
We saw it in our group and I thought that was our best overall team game for a full 60 minutes. We checked for our chances. We didn't have to play with a lot of carelessness or recklessness, and found a way. We used every minute we had to win a game.
I'm happy for our group. It's a positive sign. It was a pretty solemn group (Sunday morning) but we discussed it, then flushed it to get ready to play again. Good response."
We saw it in our group and I thought that was our best overall team game for a full 60 minutes. We checked for our chances. We didn't have to play with a lot of carelessness or recklessness, and found a way. We used every minute we had to win a game.
I'm happy for our group. It's a positive sign. It was a pretty solemn group (Sunday morning) but we discussed it, then flushed it to get ready to play again. Good response."
However, he also sent a message to his players.
Todd McLellan Sends A Reminder To Wings Players After Sunday Night Win
After most losses so far this season, Todd McLellan has always been honest about what went wrong in the game, notably calling out players when they don't do what they're supposed to do on the ice or fail to put into action the lessons learned in practice.
Here's what he had to say about the players learning from the prior night's loss against the Sabres:
"Lessons are important, especially if you pay attention to them. Last night we learned a lesson and we paid attention to it today."
He also disclosed what he believes to be one of the most important things to do when you face a team such as the Rangers, and a veteran goalie like Jonathan Quick:
"The poise and the stick-to-itiveness, that's important, especially when you run into a goaltender that's hot.
We really have been stressing trying to get to the net and make it hard on the goaltenders, and I thought we did that tonight too. I was lucky enough to see (Quick) do that for a lot of years to a lot of teams and you just have to stay with it.
Eventually you'll get an opportunity that he can't stop and that was the case tonight."
We really have been stressing trying to get to the net and make it hard on the goaltenders, and I thought we did that tonight too. I was lucky enough to see (Quick) do that for a lot of years to a lot of teams and you just have to stay with it.
Eventually you'll get an opportunity that he can't stop and that was the case tonight."
McLellan has an interesting approach with his players, and if they keep buying in, they are poised to develop into a powerhouse in the NHL.
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