Red Wings Vs. Flames Final: Calgary's 4-1 Win Nets Detroit 6th Straight Loss

The season started so promising for the Red Wings, 5-0 and full of energy. But the last six games have been completely inimical.

On Thursday night, the Calgary Flames came into the Joe and handed Detroit its sixth straight loss, with ease, 4-1. 

The Red Wings outshot the Flames 29-22, but putting the puck in the back of the net, like they did admirably in the first five games of the season, seems to be a serious problem. 

While the lack of scoring is an obvious concern, there are plenty of other question marks that head coach Mike Babcock is going to have to address before getting back on the ice on Saturday vs. the always Mighty Mighty Ducks. 

Six straight losses is uncomfortably disconcerting, but there are always "hey, look on the bright side" type tidbits like this that can make a fan like myself feel a little more at ease: 

Ugh, "L6" still doesn't look good on the Wings.

Red Wings Vs. Flames Score Update: Detroit Scores, But Down 2-1 After 2 Periods

The Red Wings finally got on the scoreboard, but not until after the Calgary Flames put another one in the net. Down 2-0 a little over eight minutes into the period, the Red Wings lit the lamp, a power play goal from Dan Cleary. 

Niklas Kronwall put the shot on net and, luckily, Dan Cleary's body got in the way, deflecting the puck past Flames' goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff. Unfortunately, the goal was to match the Flames' power play goal just four minutes earlier and salvage a one-goal deficit. 

Jarome Iginla scored the power play goal for the Flames, assisted by Curtis Glencross and Olli Jokinen. 

The Red Wings outshot the Flames again in the second period, 11-to-5. They are outshooting Calgary 19-to-10 for the game. 

Detroit will start the final period on the kill, thanks to a bad hooking call on Niklas Kronwall with about 11 seconds left in the second period. 

Red Wings Vs. Flames Score Update: Lee Stempniak Gives Calgary 1-0 Lead After 1st Period

The Detroit Red Wings are riding a five game losing streak and after 20 minutes of play hosting the Calgary Flames on Thursday night, they find themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard again. 

At the 15:52 mark of the first period, Lee Stempniak wristed one past Jimmy Howard to break the nil-nil tie. Anton Babchuk assisted on the goal. Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg, Todd Bertuzzi, Brad Stuart, and Niklas Kronwall were on the ice for the Red Wings when the Flames scored. Wings' goalie Jimmy Howard faced just five shots in the period. 

Both teams recorded eight hits and each had an unsuccessful power play, but the Flames won 12 of the 16 face offs. 

Detroit did outshoot the Flames 8-to-5 in the period, but obviously couldn't find the back of the net, or even put a puck just past the line for crying out loud -- the very problem they've been facing the last five games. 

Hopefully, the Red Wings will be able to discover some offense in the final 40 minutes. 

Red Wings Vs. Flames: Detroit Lineup Set, Mike Commodore Makes Debut

On Thursday, the Calgary Flames come to town to take on the struggling Detroit Red Wings, who are on a five-game losing streak. The Red Wings have messed around with some lineup changes here and there - sending down Fabian Brunnstrom in favor of Gustav Nyquist from Grand Rapids against the Minnesota Wild, before sending Nyquist back down after he had a quiet game. All too look for some sort of offensive spark.

Now it looks like they're sticking to their guns - no more lineup changes with young guys to try and provide a spark. It's simply the Red Wings and their lofty experience. The only real change is the fact that Mike Commodore is set to make his Red Wings debut on Thursday, after suffering an MCL injury in the preseason. Commodore is set to take the place of Jakub Kindl, who is a healthy scratch.

Now for tonight's lineup, thanks to Ansar Khan:

Jiri Hudler - Pavel Datsyuk - Danny Cleary
Johan Franzen - Henrik Zetterberg - Todd Bertuzzi
Valtteri Filppula - Darren Helm - Justin Abdelkader
Drew Miller - Cory Emmerton - Tomas Holmstrom

Nicklas Lidstrom - Ian White
Niklas Kronwall - Brad Stuart
Jonathan Ericsson - Mike Commodore

Jimmy Howard
Ty Conklin    

Red Wings Vs. Flames NHL Preview: Mike Commodore Makes Return

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