Detroit Looking for a Break, Walman Back after "Reset," Lalonde Counting on More from Berggren: Red Wings-Sabres Game Day Notebook & Where to Watch
Everything you need to know ahead of tonight's Red Wings-Sabres game in Buffalo
Tonight, the Detroit Red Wings will look to snap a five-game losing skid against the Sabres at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
When asked after this morning's skate about what it will take to get back into the win column, Patrick Kane offered a simple answer: "I just think we need to have something go good for us to be honest with ya. Sometimes you get into these slides, and it seems like one thing after another adds up against you."
Kane pointed out that there was reason for optimism coming out of Saturday's loss in Vegas but that the Red Wings will also need to re-double their defensive efforts to snap the present losing streak. "It was a better game for us, especially the last two periods, but still obviously not good enough giving up five," he said Tuesday morning. "We wanna produce offensively, we wanna create, but at the same time, we wanna make sure we're playing the right way defensively."
The out-of-town scoreboard was kind to Detroit Monday night, with the Capitals, Islanders, and Devils all suffering regulation losses. Thanks to that Islanders loss in LA, the Red Wings have snuck back into the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Detroit and New York are level on points (both 72 in 64 games played), but the Red Wings' advantage in regulation and OT (i.e. non-shootout) wins (31-28) gives them the tiebreaker.
"Bottom line is we find ourselves above the line here with 18 games left, but we gotta be where we were in the third period of Vegas," said coach Derek Lalonde after morning skate. "I wouldn't say it's a must win, but it's a must play well."
"I think the guys left that game feeling a little empty, the way that third period played out, but we out-chanced them almost 3-1," Lalonde said of Saturday's game in Vegas. "We felt like we deserved more...When you play well, you feel good about yourselves, and we played well on Saturday. Don't know if you could've said that with some of the performances previous to that."
Meanwhile, despite a slow start to the season creating a sizable hole to dig out of, the Sabres have at least an outside chance at forcing their way back into the wild card picture. Buffalo is currently five points back of the playoff cutline at the moment, but with regulation wins over the Red Wings tonight and Saturday, the Sabres could be right back in the mix.
So, for Detroit, tonight won't just be about snapping the losing streak; it'll also be about keeping a divisional rival in the rearview mirror and keeping them out of an already crowded playoff race.
Lineups: Walman Folds Back in, Rasmussen Available after Blocked Shot vs VGK, Kane Returns to Buffalo, Berggren & Greenway Returns for Sabres
-Per Lalonde at this morning's skate, Detroit will be deploying the same lineup it did Saturday night against the Golden Knights, only with Jake Walman folding back in for Justin Holl on the blue line. There was some good news to come out of Vegas for the Red Wings in that Michael Rasmussen—who had to leave Saturday's game in the third period after blocking a shot—was able to participate in yesterday's practice and will not miss any further game action. Alex Lyon will start in net for Detroit.
-Walman was a healthy scratch Saturday, an unusual circumstance for a player who has played top pairing minutes (when healthy) all season long. "It was a coach's decision," explained Lalonde. "We were on a four-game losing streak, we like all seven [defensemen], and Justin played well the previous game. Each individual player maybe has a standard of where we want his game to be at; we just haven't had the bodies to do that up front. We had the bodies to it on the back end. It was one where I thought it was time for him to take a breather, maybe a reset, and I think we'll get a good Jake Walman tonight."
-For Kane (a Buffalo native), tonight will be a homecoming against the team he grew up cheering for. "Just coming on the ice today and seeing four kids in the seats behind the bench where I used to sit when I was here, it kinda brings me back to the old days a bit," Kane said this morning. "Definitely a game you're always looking at on the schedule...Always great coming back"
He's played 25 games against the Sabres in his career already, scoring 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points. Tonight will mark his 13th game against the Sabres in Buffalo, with the recent coming March 31st of last year as a New York Ranger. Kane will be looking to improve on that performance when he was a -2 in 13:45 in a 3-2 loss.
-Meanwhile, Detroit will also be looking for a stronger performance from Jonatan Berggren than he had Saturday in Vegas. Berggren played just 13:22 and earned a -2 rating in that defeat, with Lalonde noting that he was responsible for the Red Wings' first goal against.
"In this league you need to be a little more safe around the blue line, maybe take it deep," reflected Berggren this morning. "When you're around the net, maybe make those plays instead of the blue line. It's something you need to balance."
"We want to hold him accountable," said Lalonde of Berggren today. "We have a lot of guys that wanna make plays, sometimes at the risk of the team game...We're hoping he's gonna help us down the stretch here."
To the notion that Detroit will be counting on Berggren as the season pushes toward its conclusion, he is presently slotted on the Red Wings' second line beside Lucas Raymond and Joe Veleno (compared to the fourth line minutes he played in his previous cameos at the NHL level this season). "Of course, it's a big opportunity for me. I'd rather have that than play three, four minutes, but I need to earn it too," Berggren said, noting that he has previously played with Raymond internationally at last year's World Championship and also the World Juniors.
-On the Buffalo side of the ledger, Jordan Greenway will fold back into the Sabres' lineup after missing their Saturday shootout win over the Oilers. Buffalo had an option skate this morning, but this is how they lined up at yesterday's practice. Lukas Rousek is expected to be tonight's scratch.
Tonight will be Bowen Byram's third game as a Sabre after he was sent from Colorado to Buffalo at the deadline in exchange for Casey Middlestadt in one of last week's most intriguing deals. There's been no easing him in either, with Byram played 24:58 and 25:46 in his first two games with the Sabres.
Where to Watch
Tonight's game is scheduled for a 7 PM start and will be on its familiar television and streaming homes of Bally Sports Detroit and BSD+. For out-of-market fans, the game will stream on Hulu and ESPN+.
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