Red Wings-Sabres Tweetcap: Tough go for Detroit in Buffalo as Sabres double up Wings, 4-2

The Detroit Red Wings attempted to extend their 5-game winning streak as they kicked off a divisional series with the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday evening.

Buffalo possessed a 2-and-4 record heading into tonight’s affair, but the Sabres always play Detroit well, and the Sabres threw a wrench into things by starting goaltender Colten Ellis instead of Alex Lyon on Wednesday night.

On Wednesday night, as the Red Wings kicked off a back-to-back set of games (Detroit will play the Islanders tomorrow), the Red Wings fell right into a “trap game” against rookie goaltender Colten Ellis and the Sabres, losing 4-2. The Wings pulled ahead with a J.T. Compher goal only 3:00 into the game, but Buffalo scored the next two goals; Emmitt Finnie would score a game-tying marker at 18:20 of the 2nd period (with Dylan Larkin’s help, adding to Larkin’s point streak)…

But Jack Quinn, who had three points on the night, would score the gamer, and Josh Doan’s insurance goal was the kind of marker that John Gibson would want back.

Gibson was actually pretty bloody good, stopping 27 of 31 shots and facing a wild 70 shot attempts from the Sabres, but he was either screened on the goals against, or he gave up a couple of 5-hole squeakers. The stats don’t reflect the fact that he kept the Wings in the game for long stretches, especially given that Buffalo was awarded 5 power plays to Detroit’s 2.

Ultimately, however, a litany of whiffs on open nets, over-complicating simple plays and plain old mistakes by the youngsters (and some veterans) cost Detroit the game, and tomorrow, they’ll have to salvage this little two-games-in-two-nights trip by beating Patrick Roy’s New York Islanders.

PREGAME: The Red Wings hit the ice at 7 PM EDT…

While the Sabres gave goaltender Colten Ellis a “rookie lap”…

The Sabres posted their lineup very early…

And the Red Wings posted their lineup much closer to game time:

1ST PERIOD: The teams dressed the following starters and lineups:

PENALTY: The Red Wings’ Simon Edvinsson was called for tripping Beck Malenstyn in the slot at 35 seconds of the 1st period.

John Gibson made some very good stops as the Sabres racked up 4 shots…

PENALTY: And at 3:03 of the 1st, James van Riemsdyk was called for hooking a player who “chicken winged” JvR’s stick, forcing the penalty to be called.

Again, John Gibson was tremendous, stopping a Tage Thompson shot with his right toe, and that was the only shot that Gibson had to stop.

The Sabres racked up 6 shots in the first 5:48, and Gibson was holding the fort for Detroit as the Sabres buzzed around the Wings defensive zone’s perimeter.

The first 10 minutes were hard to watch. Buffalo accumulated an 8-o shot lead, and only Bernard-Docker could send a shot in on goal at 10:17.

By 13:15 of the 1st, Detroit had 3 shots on Ellis, while Buffalo had 9 on Gibson…And by 16:12, the shots were 11-3 Buffalo, attempts 23-8 Buffalo.

PENALTY: After a Marco Kasper breakaway stifled by Ellis…

Buffalo was called for a penalty as Zach Benson sat for slashing at 19:41. The power play did not connect in the 1st.

2ND PERIOD:

The Red Wings got a good look or two on the power play, but they did not convert, with Lucas Raymond deferring to Dylan Larkin on one of the Wings’ best chances. Raymond’s centering pass was tipped away from Larkin in the slot.

GOAL: Jonatan Berggren ripped a shot at Ellis, who made a stop, but booted the puck to Albert Johansson, who battled through a check, ripped it into the slot, and J.T. Compher scored the game’s first goal at 3:00 of the 2nd period.

DETROIT 1, BUFFALO 0: Compher (1) from Johansson (2) and Berggren (1) at 3:00 2nd period.

PENALTY: Dylan Larkin got a 2-minute penalty for high-sticking at 3:33 of the 2nd.

After the penalty expired, Simon Edvinsson sent the puck up the gut to Dylan Larkin, and Larkin was unable to score on Ellis’ 5-hole on his breakaway.

GOAL: Buffalo’s Jason Zucker was able to work a 2-oon-1 with Quinn to deke through and pass through Moritz Seider, who was unable to stop the back-pass, and Zucker scored the 1-1 goal back-door on John Gibson at 11:23 of the 2nd.

Detroit 1, Buffalo 1: Zucker (4) from Quinn (2) and Timmins (1) at 11:23 2nd period.

John Gibson was aided by the crossbar at the 13:00 mark as Josh Doan blazed in on a mini-breakaway, only to be stifled by the red paint as he flickered a shot over Gibson’s right shoulder.

GOAL: Tyson Kozak was able to take a pass from Martin Samuelsson, who raced into the Red Wings’ slot, and Kozak jabbed the puck between Gibson’s legs at 16:28 of the 2nd period.

Detroit 1, Buffalo 2: Kozak (2) from Quinn (3) and Samuelsson (3) at 16:28 of the 2nd.

Axel Sandin Pellikka got snuck behind by Kozak and while the Wings were in defensive position in general…It takes one free stick to generate a goal against.

Buffalo lost Jason Zucker’s services late in the 2nd, too…

GOAL: At 18:20 of the 2nd period, Moritz Seider got bumped, slid the puck up to Lucas Raymond, who tipped the puck out to Emmitt Finnie, he passed to Dylan Larkin…

Larkin raced up the right wing and avoided traffic while sliding a backhand pass to Finnie in the slot, and Finnie jammed home his 3rd goal of the season to tie the game 2-2.

Detroit 2, Buffalo 2: Finnie (3) from Larkin (7) and Raymond (4) at 18:20 2nd.

3RD PERIOD:

Alex Tuch was able to send a blast wide of Gibson, and then a shot off the crossbar, on successive shots some 2:00 into the 3rd…

PENALTY: Michael Rasmussen was called for tripping at 2:22 of the 2nd period, affording Buffalo its 4th power play.

GOAL: Buffalo got Alex Tuch to the front of the goal, and Ryan McLeod sent the puck to the blueline, where Jack Quinn blasted a slap shot through a screened John Gibson at 4:15 of the 3rd period.

Detroit 2, Buffalo 3: Quinn (3) from McLeod (1) and Byram (2) at 4:15 3rd period.

GOAL: After Ellis made a tremendous stop on Alex DeBrincat on a one-timer from Kasper at one end…

The Sabres raced up the other way, Connor Timmins found Ryan McLeod, he sent the puck to Josh Doan, and Doan scored on a one-timer that Gibson did not stop all of at 8:10.

Detroit 2, Buffalo 4: Doan (3) from McLeod (2) and Timmins (2) at 8:10 3rd.

PENALTY: Worse, Moritz Seider hit Zach Benson high at 9:17, and sat for interference.

PENALTY: Jiri Kulich was called for holding Michael Brandsegg-Nygard at 12:49 of the 3rd.

The Red Wings did not score on the power play, despite their efforts, and it looked like a night that just wasn’t going to be Detroit’s.

Goalie out: John Gibson exited the Wings’ crease with 3:13 remaining in the 3rd…

And Detroit had a legion of “almosts,” including James van Riemsdyk shanking a puck wide of an open net, and a ripper going off Alex DeBrincat’s heel, but nothing connected for Detroit.

Statistics: Here are the Game Summary and Event Summary:

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!