Red Wings' Most Impressive Early-Season Stat Makes 0-2 Start Even More Frustrating

The Detroit Red Wings’ 0-2 record so far in the season looks pretty discouraging on paper. There really isn’t much impressive about that record.

How those games have ended up that way, though, makes their winless start even more frustrating.

Through the first two games of the year, the Red Wings have yet to allow a goal at five-on-five.

Detroit allowed two goals in the season opener on Friday against the New York Rangers. One came as a result of a power play and the other was scored on an empty net.

The Red Wings came back in their second game of the season and held the Winnipeg Jets to three goals, but, once again, neither was a full-strength goal.

So, what’s the problem?

Detroit has allowed four power-play goals and one empty-net goal in two games.

Not one single five-on-five.

So buried within a discouraging start is an impressive defensive statistic.

Red Wings’ Penalty Kill Undoes Strong Defense

Detroit Red Wings right wing Keegan Kolesar Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Detroit’s penalty kill was perfect against New York until Mika Zibaejad scored on the Rangers’ final power-play opportunity of the night.

On Sunday, things got significantly worse.

Winnipeg converted three of its four opportunities on the power play. Kyle Connor scored twice and Mark Scheifele added one more.

Some of the damage was self-inflicted and that hurts even more.

Keegan Kolesar took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in addition to a fighting major after his first-period fight with Tyrel Bauer. Winnipeg took advantage of the situation and made the score 2-0.

Tyrel Bauer lays a HUGE hit on JT Compher, then Keegan Kolesar takes exception but Bauer DROPS Kolesar with a couple lefts 😱👊 pic.twitter.com/AeNJtIkfUi
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 4, 2026

Later in the same period, J.T. Compher added another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Once again, Ottawa converted, and Connor scored.

Suddenly, the Detroit team that looked so good on defense was down 3-0.

Head coach Todd McLellan didn’t have to think long to come up with the problem after the game.

"Well, the penalty kill failed us. And the penalty," McLellan said, according to Detroit Hockey Now. "You know, unsportsmanlike conduct right after we get scored on; bang, they're up two-nothing. We can't have that. Pretty simple."

Detroit spent much of the offseason trying to become a more physical and difficult team to play against.

There’s a difference between being aggressive and getting penalties that give the opponent an advantage.

Sunday’s game was a painful reminder.

Red Wings Showing Offensive Life

The good news coming out of the game is Detroit’s offense is finally showing some signs of improvement after they were shut out by New York.

Viktor Arvidsson scored his first goal as a Red Wing in the second period, which finally ended the season-opening scoring drought.

Emmitt Finnie then scored to put the team within one in the third.

The team finished with 35 shots on goal after managing only 22 against the Rangers.

It was a much better offensive performance in their second game, but it still wasn’t enough.

Staying out of the penalty box should be a goal for game three on Tuesday evening against the Ottawa Senators.

Detroit Doing One Important Thing Right

Detroit Red Wings center Emmitt Finnie Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There’s no question, being 0-2 is not where the Red Wings wanted to be after their first two games.

But, there are some encouraging signs to take away from the losses.

Detroit’s defense can’t be to blame for the first two games. When they haven’t allowed a single goal when the teams are at equal strength, it is impressive.

That’s notable and significant.

For a team that has so much drama and conflict right now, it is frustrating to lose games this way.

None of the on-ice problems are major. If they can maintain their defensive effort and clean up the penalties, the games and record will look significantly different.

They need more offense, but that will come as well.

For now, Detroit holds one of the more impressive defensive statistics in the league with nothing in the win column to show for it.

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