Red Wings vs. Lightning, 2015 NHL playoff results: 3 things we learned from Detroit’s shutout win in Game 5

Detroit took a series lead on the back of Petr Mrazek’s stellar performance.

Apr 26, 2015, 12:54 AM UTC

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Red Wings did what they do best in Game 5, stifling the Tampa Bay Lightning offense en route to a 4-0 win and a 3-2 series lead. The series now shifts back to Detroit for Game 6.

Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek led the way in the low-scoring affair, stopping all 28 shots he faced to earn his second shutout win of the series. He made up for his previous game in Tampa Bay, in which he gave up four goals on 18 shots in Game 2.

It took almost the entire first period for either side to score. Detroit forward Riley Sheahan finally broke through at 19:37 when he fired a slap shot past Lightning goalie Ben Bishop for a 1-0 lead.

The Lightning then didn’t shoot for a very long time.

So if my math (not my strong point) is correct, that's 20 minutes, 15 seconds between shots for #tblightning
— Erik Erlendsson (@erlendssonTBO) April 25, 2015

With the Red Wings clogging up the neutral zone and Mrazek turning away every rare shot that came his way, the Lightning were unable to answer before Detroit scored again.

A cross-ice pass in the offensive zone from Luke Glendening turned into an ugly rebound for Bishop and a goal for Drew Miller -- the Red Wings gained a 2-0 lead and momentum that they never conceded. Both Pavel Datsyuk and Danny DeKeyser scored late in the third period to seal a 4-0 win.

3 Things We Learned

1. No dramatic comeback for Tampa Bay this time

Red Wings fans had to be nervous watching their team play with a 2-0 lead as the third period wound down. In the exact same situation in Game 4, the Lightning blitzed Detroit for three late goals to win the game. Tampa Bay had no such luck in Game 5, as Mrazek and company held firm and shut the door on any comeback attempt.

2. Detroit is shutting down Stamkos in the most frustrating ways

We're not sure we'd call that blatant interference, but that's the brilliance of the Red Wings' strategy against Steven Stamkos in this series. The most dangerous goal scorer in the league can't take two strides without immediately getting blanketed by a Red Wing. And Detroit's players are toeing the line between legal and illegal interference well enough to escape penalty trouble for the most part. This is why Mike Babcock will command a lot of money this offseason.

3. Petr Mrazek hates puppies