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Derek Lalonde's questionable call on Tim Stutzle's alleged dive during the Ottawa Senators' 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday has sparked a wave of amusement among fans.
The Red Wings coach seemed convinced that the talented Stutzle took a tumble. However, it became apparent that Stutzle was in stellar form, leaving fans in awe and leading the Senators to victory.
The irony of Lalonde's call was not lost on fans, who took to social media to troll the Red Wings coach for his impression of Stutzle diving. It became a source of lighthearted banter among hockey enthusiasts, with one tweeting:
"When did Gru start coaching the Wings :)"
Here are some of the top reactions on X:
Meanwhile, Ottawa saw standout performances from Pinto, who scored and assisted, and Brady Tkachuk and Mark Kastelic, who also scored. They've had two wins in a row, and gone 5-1-2 record in their last eight games. Detroit, meanwhile, ended January with a 9-2-2 record.
Red Wings soar under Derek Lalonde's tutelage
Guided by coach Derek Lalonde, the Detroit Red Wings started soaring. They shone with an outstanding tally in January, flaunting a high 0.792-point percentage, making them the NHL's top performers for the month.
Lalonde's coaching shone through in the team's strong attacking style, scoring 3.4 goals each game, top-10 in the league. Dylan Larkin, Red Wings captain, since 2015, has nine goals, and he got 15 points in January.
Left winger Lucas Raymond added a significant boost to the offense with 13 points, including 11 assists. Lalonde's strategic impact also reverberated in the defensive department, as the Red Wings allowed a mere 2.5 goals per game, a marked improvement from their season average.
Derek Lalonde's focus on defensive toughness is showing results, as evidenced by wins against strong teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights.
Defensive champions like Jake Walman, Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot proved their prowess. Seider and Walman made it to the league’s top-15 for blocked shots this season.
