Red Wings Snap Losing Streak with 4-1 Victory over Buffalo
The Red Wings ended their seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over Buffalo, drawing
Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports - Red Wings Snap Losing Streak with 4-1 Victory over BuffaloA get-right game was long overdue. A seven-game losing streak had taken the air out of a Detroit Red Wings team knocking on the door of the playoffs, but they had an opportunity to change that Saturday afternoon against Buffalo.
This time, they seized it.
Fueled by an assertive second period, the Red Wings (34-27-6) beat Buffalo (32-31-5), 4-1, to snap their losing skid and retake the second wild card spot. For a team that wants to make the postseason, snapping the streak is an encouraging sign, but the way Detroit played to do that matters more.
“Obviously a much needed win but I just love the way we did it,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said postgame. “That team’s been scoring in bunches. We just gave up a touchdown to them. For us to hold them to one, it was good on the group.”
At first, it didn’t seem like such a win might materialize. The Red Wings came out shaky in the first period, surrendering a handful of chances early. That included a J.J Peterka shot that rang off the post three minutes into the game. Eventually, Tage Thompson found the back of the net for a 1-0 Sabres lead, capitalizing on the power play 11 minutes into the game after shifting the Red Wings’ penalty kill out of position.
Detroit wasn’t perfect in the first period, but it was a lot better at staying confident after surrendering the first goal. In some of their losses — including one against this same Sabres team on Tuesday — the Red Wings folded after giving up the first goal, playing tentatively in the aftermath of mistakes. Whether that was a mental block due to their ominous streak or not, Detroit nonetheless avoided it this time.
Once they finished the first period in striking distance, the Red Wings came out with one of their better frames in recent weeks in the second period. Detroit played with possession of the puck for wide swaths, stacking competitive shifts from contributors up and down the lineup. The third line of Michael Rasmussen, Andrew Copp and Christian Fischer stood out the most in this regard, checking and disrupting on defense and taking chances to the net on offense. That led to Fischer scoring the 1-1 goal 5:35 into the second period, straining and falling skating around the net while firing the puck into the net.
Persistent puck pursuit and forechecking kept Detroit in the driver’s seat from that moment onward. The first line replicated the kind of determined play that the third line had shown, and it got the same payout. Patrick Kane scored with a little over two minutes left in the period, aided by a sprawling play by J.T. Compher to keep the puck alive.
“We just kept so many O zone pucks alive with being on top and giving them no space,” Lalonde said. “When you’re playing a team like that, your best defense can start in the O zone, and I thought we did that with some plays like that.”
Defensively, Detroit did well by protecting its net and keeping a lot of shots outside. However, Buffalo still earned chances, including in the third period when they chased for the 2-1 goal. But the Red Wings didn’t let many of these chances through to the net, and the Sabres also missed a few plays. One of the most substantial was a missed pass to a wide-open Jeff Skinner down low. The Red Wings weathered some of these Buffalo attacks, though, by continuing to hunt the puck and play disruptive hockey.
“In between periods we talked about it. We just felt a different compete level maybe, or a different coming back to our old ways that you start to feel in the hockey game,” Fischer said. “I think once we went up 2-1, we knew we were going to win that game just how we felt and everybody working. I wish there was one answer for it, but I think it’s just a complete game. I think every guy was going tonight.”
Eventually, the Sabres' clock ran out. Detroit forward Daniel Sprong scored with six minutes left to make it 3-1, and that all but sealed the deal. Buffalo pressed with an empty net in the game's final moments, appearing to score the proximity goal with 1:52 left, but the referees ruled no goal for goaltender interference. Then, a Lucas Raymond empty-netter made the game's final 4-1 score and gave him his 20th of the season.
Detroit's victory over Buffalo is a big one, and not just because it ends its worst losing streak in years. The win puts the Red Wings in sole possession of the first wild card spot with 74 points, although the New York Islanders have 73 and a game at hand. This playoff race is far from over, but Detroit finally made up some ground after its seven losses.
Most significantly, the Red Wings wiped the slate clean with this win and ended their losing streak before they could slip further out of playoff contention. By finally snapping the streak, they made the playoffs a whole lot more likely.