RECAP: Talbot makes 32 saves for Detroit in 4-1 loss to Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA -- Making his first start in nearly two weeks because of a lower-body injury, goalie Cam Talbot put forth a strong 32-save effort in the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night.

"Individually, I felt really good," Talbot said. "Felt my game tonight. Made a bunch of big saves to keep us in it throughout the first two-thirds of the game. We were right there until the third period. We were one shot away, then the power play gives up one there and it's just an uphill battle. We did a good job. We didn't fold our tent. We continued to play hard throughout the game, got one back late. Just couldn't find the second one tonight."

The Red Wings (11-14-4; 26 points) fired 26 shots at rookie netminder Aleksei Kolosov, who stopped 25 of them for the Flyers (14-12-4; 32 points).

"It's tough to waste a really good goalie performance like that," Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said. "Our goalie has four or five of those type of saves, and keeps them at one [goal] through 40 minutes and two [goals] through 57, 58 minutes. We would have liked to reward him."

Detroit was outshot by Philadelphia, 12-7, in a fast-paced but scoreless first period.

Some of Talbot's most impressive stops of the night happened during the first half of the second period, including a reaching glove save to rob rookie Matvei Michkov, turning aside Joel Farabee on a 2-on-1 rush and making a breakaway stop on Flyers captain Sean Couturier.

"He was unbelievable," Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said about Talbot. "Big save after big save. Someone that's meant so much to our team, we can't really have his first game back be a game like that -- giving up odd-mans and backdoors. He bailed us out, but we got to bail him out a little bit."

But Scott Laughton broke the scoreless tie at 13:22 of the middle frame, getting a breakaway slapshot past Talbot to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead.

Tipping in Travis Konecny’s pass for a short-handed goal and his second tally of the game, Laughton made it 2-0 just 1:31 into the third period.

"We knew they were going to be dangerous and looking for chances when they were down a guy," Larkin said. "They did just that. A couple 2-on-1s and it's in the back of our net, and we're down two [goals]. That's a huge opportunity that we let slip there on that first power play."

Ben Chiarot’s first goal of the season, which he scored at 16:07 of the third period, broke up Kolosov’s shutout bid and got the Red Wings back within 2-1. Assisted by Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher, Chiarot fired home a shot through a screen.

Laughton completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal at 18:53 to extend it 3-1, then deposited another puck into an empty net just 54 seconds later for the 4-1 final.

Putting together a 60-minute game has eluded Detroit at times this season, Larkin said, but the club will keep striving to achieve that goal night in and night out.

"Games like this are frustrating," Larkin said. "It was a winnable game and there wasn't much energy in the building through the first couple periods, but we allowed the fans to get into it with the chances we gave them."

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will be back in front of Hockeytown faithful when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday night.

POSTGAME QUOTES

Lalonde on how Philadelphia was able to cash in during the second period

"Of course the short-handed goal was a crusher, but it was the 10 minutes in the second where we gave up easy offense. The breakaways, the odd-mans. I know we had the look-- Patty had it on the stick there with the open net... One thing through our ups and downs is we haven't been giving up a lot of dangerous rushes, breakaways and the odd-mans."

Larkin on how he saw Thursday's game as a whole

"I think it was a tight game, and we were the team that made the most mistakes. Gave them breakaways and odd-mans. A lot of their looks and chances came off of our sticks. It's frustrating. We knew that they would try to get behind us and their forward group would try to cheat for breakaways. They really didn't have to cheat. We kind of gave it to them."

Talbot on the message in the dressing room following a game like Thursday's

"I said after the second period. I said 'I know you guys are going to come out and play our game in the third period.' And as far as I was concerned, the game was still within reach. That's what I'm back there for. That was the message, and we came out and responded in the third there. Just tried to do everything I could to keep it close and give us a chance."