Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill hints at retaliation against Tampa Bay Lightning

It was the first game of the season, and there were plenty of fireworks between the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena. 

Aside from the absolutely wild score that finished as a 7-6 overtime victory for the visiting Lightning, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin took matters into his own hands when he retaliated against 4th line Lightning forward Mathieu Joseph. The latter had boarded Larkin from behind, and needless to say, he was furious. 

Larkin, who had his season last year end prematurely after being speared in the neck by Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn and spent the offseason rehabbing the injury, cold cocked Joseph in the face, setting off a brief melee on the ice. Larkin would depart the game to have his neck looked at by team training staff; he wouldn't return. 

Of course, he wouldn't have returned regardless, as he was assessed a match penalty for his actions on the ice, which prompts an automatic hearing from the NHL Department of Player Safety. 

Head coach Jeff Blashill explained earlier today that he was "pissed off" for the fact that Larkin had to retaliate against a dirty play that went uncalled by the officials, and also expressed his displeasure with what he felt were Lightning players taking liberties with rookies Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider, both of whom were making their NHL debuts. 

And Blashill hinted that things could be different moving forward in terms of personnel in their lineup.

"I guess if it goes on, we have to get people in here to make sure that we’re protecting them," Blashill said.

Of course, a prime candidate would be enforcer forward Luke Witkowski, a Holland, MI native who has played with both the Red Wings and Lightning and is currently suiting up with Detroit's American Hockey League affiliate in Grand Rapids. Don't be surprised to see him called up at some point to do some on-ice policing. 

"I feel for him big time, and I kind of waffle between feeling for him and being pissed off that he’s gotta go through that," Blashill continued when talking of Larkin. "It takes a toll on you emotionally. Again, taking that penalty is not something -- and he just told me this: he doesn’t wasn’t to take that penalty. We gotta be more disciplined. But as I watched it through, I also personally understand where he’s coming from."