Detroit Red Wings shine in rare bright spot on disappointing Michigan weekend
Lions and Tigers falter
The Detroit Lions’ four-game winning streak came to an end as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs routed Detroit 30-17. Kansas City’s efficient offense and staunch defense held in check the NFL’s top-scoring team, snapping the Lions’ momentum. In baseball, Detroit’s playoff hopes also collapsed. In Game 5 of the AL Division Series, Jorge Polanco hit a walk-off single in the 15th inning to give the Seattle Mariners a 3-2 victory over the Tigers. The loss eliminated Detroit from the postseason, and Seattle advanced to the ALCS after outlasting the Tigers in the longest winner-take-all playoff game in history.
Wolverines and Spartans lose big
Michigan’s football team likewise stumbled. The No. 15 Wolverines were upset on the road by USC, losing 31-13. Southern California’s balanced attack, led by walk-on running back King Miller and quarterback Jayden Maiava, overran Michigan and ended the Wolverines’ three-game win streak. Similarly, Michigan State suffered a lopsided defeat at home. The Spartans fell 38-13 to UCLA, a game in which former Spartan running back Jalen Berger scored three touchdowns against his old team. MSU was outplayed in all facets, yielding 418 yards, and dropped to 3-3 on the season and 0-3 in Big Ten play. In short, every college program in the state was beaten soundly that weekend.
Red Wings take flight
By contrast, the Detroit Red Wings soared. In a dominant home performance, the Wings beat Toronto 6-3 on Oct. 11, with Lucas Raymond scoring twice, including his 100th NHL goal, as Detroit pulled away for the win. Two nights later in Toronto, Mason Appleton scored with 44 seconds left to lift the Red Wings to a 3-2 victory. Those back-to-back wins, both over last season’s Atlantic Division champion Maple Leafs, pushed Detroit’s record to 5-1-0 and into first place in the Atlantic Division. Goaltender Cam Talbot was outstanding in both games, making 38 saves each night, and stars like Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane contributed key goals and assists. In short, the Red Wings looked every bit the up-and-coming team many predicted in the offseason.
Looking ahead
While the Lions, Tigers, Wolverines, and Spartans regroup after a string of losses, Detroit hockey fans have plenty of optimism. The Red Wings’ hot start, with 10 points in 6 games, has become the one positive storyline of the weekend. As Todd McLellan’s club has shown, solid goaltending and balanced scoring can carry them past even strong opponents, a sharp contrast to the struggles facing the state’s other franchises.