Trending: Zadina nets two in loss to Wild

ST. PAUL -- It was most definitely not the way the Red Wings wanted to head into their break.
Despite a reasonably good first period, the Red Wings could not keep up their pace in the second when the Minnesota Wild applied more pressure.

Detroit had a 2-1 lead after the first but Minnesota scored three unanswered goals in the second en route to a 4-2 victory Wednesday night at the Xcel Energy Center.
The Wings' winless streak on the road now stands at eight games, the longest of the season.
Filip Zadina (two, one power play) scored for the Wings.
Jordan Greenway, Mats Zuccarello, Jason Zucker and Eric Staal scored for the Wild.
Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard (2-19-2) had 29 saves.
Minnesota netminder Devan Dubnyk (9-12-2) made 25 stops.
Up next for the Wings (12-35-4) is the All-Star break followed by their bye. Then they face the New York Rangers back-to-back, in New York Jan. 31 and at Little Caesars Arena Feb. 1.
The Wild (23-21-6) also go on their extended break and will host the Boston Bruins on Feb. 1.
Tweet from @DetroitRedWings: "I think the last half we have to stick together, we gotta work for each other. Let's hope we're at the worst of it and it gets better here soon."Dylan Larkin, Filip Zadina and Coach Blashill speak following Wednesday night's game against the Wild. #DETvsMIN @CocaCola pic.twitter.com/v7a6kbZdBH
1. Filip Zadina: Just because you have a great shot and you're willing to use it doesn't always mean the puck will go in. But puck luck certainly helps. Zadina found that out in the first period in Minnesota. At 3:08, Zadina's shot from the left circle hit Joel Eriksson Ek's stick and sailed over Dubnyk's shoulder on what was considered Detroit's first shot of the game. Dylan Larkin and Trevor Daley picked up the assists. Later in the period, with Ryan Hartman off for tripping, Zadina had the benefit of Givani Smith screening Dubnyk. Zadina's shot went first off Jared Spurgeon and then off Ryan Suter. Daley and Valtteri Filppula assisted on that goal. Zadina finished with 25 shifts for 20:51, had a game-high seven shots, one giveaway, one blocked shot and was even.

Quotable: "Yeah, that was was the puck luck we actually need as a team. I try to go back door for Bert (Tyler Bertuzzi) and it ended up in the net. I was glad for it. We need to play better hockey I guess and then just win the game. It's simple but it's hard on the ice. To be honest, I just take the patience and it takes time. I gotta be on the ice and that's it. If I'll be on the ice, I'll get more confidence and then the game will be easier for me. I just need to be on the ice and play good hockey and then get some experiences." - Zadina
Quotable II: "He had a great game. He got a good bounce on his first goal and we needed that as a team and he was one of our very few bright spots tonight, showed up to play. He works. As a centerman, he's a guy you want to play with because he works on the forecheck and when he gets the puck, he's not looking for the quickest way to get it out of his hands, he's not holding onto it too long, he's looking to play give-and-go's and find me and get to spots and find Bert and get to his spot where he can shoot it. He's a smart player and I enjoy playing with him and that's going to help our team a lot if he keeps developing." - Larkin
Quotable III: "I thought Fil was a bright spot. I thought he played pretty good. I thought his game was complete. I thought he did a good job. Overall I thought he did a real good job there. I'd say just the confidence. He's been confident with the puck, and the completeness of his game. Stopping on the puck, playing on the right side. Those types of things. He's learned a lot of the lessons that we want him to learn. As a result, has the puck on his stick a good amount and can create offense." - Wings coach Jeff Blashill

2. Dylan Larkin: Detroit's alternate captain has a lot on his plate this season, trying to set the tone as a two-way center while providing the bulk of the offense and while trying to be a leader on and off the ice at age 23. Larkin is often the one called upon to meet with reporters after a loss, a task which he accepts with grace. Since the Christmas break, Larkin has accelerated his offense. With his assist on Zadina's first goal, Larkin leads the Red Wings in that category with 23. He also tied All-Star Tyler Bertuzzi for the team lead in points with 36. Larkin has points in 10 of his last 11 games, recording four goals and eight assists in that span. Larkin finished with 23 shifts for 21:20, most among forwards, had one shot, one hit, was 10-for-18 in face-offs and was even.
   Quotable: "I thought it was the start we were looking for and then we just took our foot off the gas. They weren't ready to play either and there wasn't very much energy in the building, it was kind of a game where it was back and forth and not as close-checking as we've been playing the past couple weeks. I felt we got a little too comfortable and again, we let in one and then another one a minute or two later. I thought Howie (Howard) was great again. If he wasn't playing or on his game tonight, it would have been worse than 4-2." - Larkin
   Quotable II: "(Larkin and Bertuzzi) are very skilled players. They're very offensive players. For me, I'm glad I can be part of the line and do some stuff like they do. If we are working together, we have good O-zone time and then we get our good scoring chances. So far it's clicking but we gotta be more sharp, put the pucks more around the net and then score goals." - Zadina
   3. Trevor Daley: It has been more than a challenging last couple of seasons for Daley, who has been beset by injuries. Last season, Daley suffered a broken foot blocking a shot during the morning skate. He has already missed 24 games this season. But Daley returned to the lineup Jan. 17 against his former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and has provided a veteran presence since then. With his assists on both of Zadina's goals, Daley now has four points, all assists in 26 games this season. If the defenseman is able to stay healthy, he could be a possibility to trade at the deadline next month. Daley finished with 26 shifts for 17:22, had two shots, one hit and was even.

Quotable: "I thought we had some guys that weren't ready to play at the start of the game and we kind of--little bit of fool's gold through the first. Some guys were going, some guys just weren't ready to go. It catches up to you as the game goes along and it caught up to us and then we played stupid. We've talked about being an efficient team and making sure, especially in the second period, when you need changes you got to get the pucks in behind. (Patrik) Nemeth and (Filip) Hronek got stuck out there for about four minutes or something because we wouldn't get the puck in deep and get people on and off the ice. We talked about that and got to continue to work on it. Some of that, when your brain's not ready to roll, it's hard to catch up. We had enough guys that weren't ready to go at the drop of the puck." - Blashill
Quotable II: "It won't feel good right now. It would have felt better with a good road trip or a win at the end of it. We can take out of it, rest, we got a lot of guys banged up, little thing or big things, we're going to take that. I think just getting away and thinking about what we're in it for. I believe we're in my heart we're in it for each other and I know the guys in this room think that as well. I think the last half we got to stick together, we got to work for each other. Let's hope we're at the worst of it and it gets better soon." - Larkin