By Mike Whitaker
DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot prefers to lead by example, and he let his play do the talking for him on Sunday night.
He made 32 saves as part of Detroit’s 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers at Little Caesars Arena, once again helping to keep his club’s playoff hope on life support.
“I can’t tip my hat to him (Talbot) enough; good goaltending gives you an opportunity,” coach Todd McLellan said of Talbot. “It doesn’t have to be every save, but it has to be the saves, and he made a couple of those. Again, reminiscent of Boston (last week), almost the same spot and same type of shot (to save the game), but he made some earlier too.”
None were bigger than his robbery of Florida’s Anton Lundell with just under 10 seconds remaining in regulation; the Panthers had broken his shutout attempt moments earlier and were pressing hard for the equalizer.
“I just tried to stay patient,” Talbot said of his game-saver. “I lost sight of the puck for a second, and when it goes to the flank, he’s going to try to put it toward the net with that much time left. He makes a good play to get it through the seam there, and it’s just desperation, get as much of body as I can to the other side of the net and make the save. Luckily, it fell right underneath me, and I was able to cover up.”
Alex DeBrincat (PPG) and J.T. Compher scored for the Red Wings in the second period; the Panthers halved Detroit’s lead after Anton Lundell deflected Mackie Samoskevich’s shot past Talbot with 40 seconds left.
Talbot has played over 10 NHL seasons and has been to the playoffs multiple times, both as a backup and as a starter. But rather than being a boisterous figure in the dressing room, he prefers the quiet kind of leadership as one of the veterans on the roster.
“I’m more of a lead-by-example type of guy. I don’t really like to say too much in the room,” he said. “I let my work ethic and professionalism show the way, so the guys are doing a heck of a job right now. I’ll just keep doing everything I can do to give us a chance.”
The Red Wings are facing one of the biggest challenges remaining in their regular season schedule as they play the red-hot Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night at Bell Centre.
The Canadiens can’t seem to lose right now, having won five straight and maintained their six-point lead over the Red Wings in the Atlantic Division with less than 10 games remaining.
If the Red Wings are to have a realistic chance at the playoffs, they have to find a way to win in regulation.
“It’s probably the biggest game of the year,” DeBrincat said. “We definitely have to come ready to play. Montreal is a fun building to play in. I don’t think we’re going to have any problem getting up for the game and being ready to go. It’s just a matter of playing our game and doing whatever we can to win.”
