The Red Wings had every opportunity in the second period to get back into the game, but Ty Conklin wouldn't allow it.
Well, that's not entirely true. Cory Emmerton picked up a high-sticking penalty just minutes into the period and the Capitals took advantage of it by scoring 50 seconds in with the man advantage. The goal was scored by Mike Green -- his second of the game -- on a slap shot assisted by Alex Ovechkin and Dennis Wideman.
The Red Wings got the goal back after the first of four penalties in the period by the Capitals, a goal by Niklas Kronwall -- his first of the season -- assisted by Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk.
Unfortunately, the Red Wings couldn't capitalize on a 5-on-3 or the other penalties in the period to cut the deficit to just one goal. As if that wasn't demoralizing enough, as the second period was winding down with the momentum swaying in Detroit's favor, the Wings failed to clear a puck that Washington ultimately was able to put on net. Conklin let the shot slip through his pads and to Mathieu Perrault for an easy goal with just two seconds left. A 4-1 deficit thanks to goal in the final two seconds of the period, on the road, on the second night of a back-to-back? Yeah, that's not good.
The Wings outshot the Capitals 16-to-6 in the period, but Conklin has stopped just 10 of the 14 shots he has faced. Not many hockey teams can win games when their goalie rocks a save percentage like that.