Author: 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!

Red Wings-Sabres morning skate Tweets and game preview: it’s Husso vs. Reimer as two struggle-streaking teams meet in Buffalo

The Detroit Red Wings face a difficult task in battling the Buffalo Sabres this evening (7 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM). Buffalo has an 11-13-and-3 record because the Sabres, who started well, have dropped 6 straight games, most recently losing 5-to-2 to Utah on Saturday afternoon.

Given that the 10-13-and-4 Red Wings are also on a losing 5-game losing streak (0-3-and-2), something is going to have to give tonight, and Field Level Media reports that the Sabres believe that they’ll prolong Detroit’s pain:

“I think we’re starting games really well and I don’t know if it’s a bit of complacency or what it is, but we’ve got to fix the second periods,” forward Jason Zucker said. “It seems like we come out in the third and get a bit of that fire back and start playing again. We’ve got to fix it.”

Buffalo had a three-game winning streak and a winning record before the skid. The Sabres are looking to end a 13-season playoff drought. Detroit has the second-longest postseason drought, spanning a franchise-record eight seasons.

The good news is that one of these teams will emerge with a much-needed victory.

“We just need to get back to executing the way we know how to,” Zucker said. “It’s not a care thing, this room cares. This room has a lot of guys that care and want to do the right thing. It’s about doing it time and time again.”

The Red Wings and Sabres split the first two games of the four-game season series. Buffalo won the first meeting at home, 5-3, on Oct. 26. Detroit collected a 2-1 home victory on Nov. 2.

Buffalo held an optional morning skate today at the KeyBank Center…

Continue reading Red Wings-Sabres morning skate Tweets and game preview: it’s Husso vs. Reimer as two struggle-streaking teams meet in Buffalo

Tweets of note: ‘Razor in a blazer’ and two birthdays

According to the Red Wings, the team will be giving away a “Razor in a Blazer” doll on December 23rd vs. St. Louis…

And two Red Wings have birthdays today:

In search of secondary scoring

The Red Wings changed up their lines ahead of tomorrow night’s game in Buffalo (7 PM EST on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM), and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan spoke with Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde regarding the Wings’ rationale behind their revisions:

Dylan Larkin was between Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond, basically the only three forwards who are scoring goals these days. Marco Kasper was between Michael Rasmussen and Patrick Kane. J.T. Compher centered Vladimir Tarasenko and Andrew Copp. The fourth line consisted of Jonatan Berggren, Joe Veleno, Tyler Motte, with Christian Fischer rotating in.

…

“We’re doing pretty good things away from the puck, defending pretty well, but what’s frustrating is we’re not finishing,” Lalonde said. “Even this stretch of late, it’s a lot different than what we had early when we weren’t scoring. We weren’t getting looks. We’ve had some good looks of late here, and hopefully, we can start finishing.”

Lalonde has talked the last several days about wanting the Wings to be more effective around the net, scoring some “greasy” goals, in hockey parlance — and with that in mind, most of those new lines have a touch of that going for them.

“With some of those lines, (they’re) getting some different skill sets to complement some guys,” Lalonde said.

After Raymond (10 goals, 28 points), DeBrincat (11 goals, 22 points) and Larkin (12 goals, 21 points) there’s a huge drop-off to defenseman Moritz Seider (13 points). The Wings have received minimal secondary scoring among the forwards this season.

“We’d like a little more secondary scoring,” Lalonde said. “Again, we’ll keep pounding (for) some harder offense, on the whole. I don’t think scoring is going to be a natural, or a strength of ours by any means. I didn’t look at shooting percentage but it has to be one of the poorest in the league (23rd of 32 teams). Hopefully, we can keep harping on some things and get some pucks in the back of the net. I still think we can get scoring throughout our lineup, guys willing to continue getting to the inside, some of the harder areas.”

Continued (paywall); there’s no doubt that the Red Wings’ lack of secondary scoring is damning them, offensively speaking…

Video: Kasper, Cossa and Lalonde’s post-Sunday-practice remarks

The Red Wings shook up their forward lines during Sunday’s practice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center.

Before flying to Buffalo for tomorrow night’s game vs. the Sabres (7 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM), coach Derek Lalonde told the assembled media that the Wings are uncertain as to whether they’ll start Ville Husso or Sebastian Cossa on Monday evening.

The Red Wings posted a 10:16 video of Marco Kasper, Cossa and coach Lalonde’s post-practice remarks for your viewing pleasure:

Sunday fundraising

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Revise and edit

The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton discusses the Red Wings’ revised forward lines as evidenced by Detroit’s Sunday practice:

Coach Derek Lalonde reunited an Alex DeBrincat–Dylan Larkin–Lucas Raymond trio that found some success early in the season.  He also reconnected J.T. Compher and Andrew Copp, placing them on a line with Vladimir Tarasenko.  Patrick Kane—who has been quiet since returning from injury—moves down to a third line role, beside Marco Kasper and Michael Rasmussen.

The purpose behind the changes is obvious: The Red Wings need to find more goals. As Lalonde explained, “We would like a little more secondary scoring, and again, we keep trying to pound some harder offense. And yes, obviously on the whole for the year, we rank towards the bottom of the league and rightfully so…The early stretches, we were not producing chances, kinda living off our power play there a little bit. But of late, we’re getting some quality looks.”

Continued with an update on the Red Wings’ goaltending situation…

Sebastian Cossa’s learning experience

The Red Wings may or may not start Sebastian Cossa tomorrow when they face the Buffalo Sabres (7 PM EST on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM), but Cossa told MLive’s Ansar Khan that, regardless of whether he starts or not, he’s learning from and enjoying his time with the Red Wings:

“This is the highest level of hockey in the world, so just kind of seeing it day by day I’ve been taking a lot away from Huss and even Talbs and Lyon as they’re getting back now,” Cossa said. “Just kind of seeing their day to day and how they perform at this high level.”

Cossa, the 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft, has backed up Husso the past three games.

“Obviously you want to play for sure, but at this point where the team’s at right now, points are really important, and Huss has been doing a great job giving this team a chance to win every night,” Cossa said. “Just trying to replicate what he does every day.

“The intensity of the practice, obviously the skill of the shooters, it’s a big jump from the AHL to here and just kind of getting comfortable at that level, pushing my pace and even the size of the guys. There’s bigger boys in here in front of the nets taking screens and a lot better at tips and stuff.”

Cossa’s parents are on standby back home in Fort McMurray, Alberta, ready to travel to wherever he makes his NHL debut, if he makes it this season.

“They probably got their bags packed,” Cossa said. “They’re just waiting, day by day, whenever they hear anything.”

Continued (paywall)

Post-practice Tweets: Monday’s starting goaltender yet to be determined

Ahead of a two-game road trip to Buffalo (on Monday night at 7 PM EST on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM) and Philadelphia (on Thursday at 7 PM on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/NBC Sports Philadelphia/97.1 FM), the Red Wings practiced at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center, shaking up their forward lines.

After practice, the Red Wings’ players and coach spoke with the media:

Tweets from Sunday’s practice: forward lines tweaked before trip to Buffalo, Philadelphia

The Detroit Red Wings will attempt to snap their 0-3-and-2 streak when they travel to Buffalo to play the Sabres tomorrow evening (7 PM EST on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM), and the Wings were understandably frustrated after last night’s 2-1 loss to Colorado…

So it remains to be seen whether the team will embrace their emotions as a motivator with which to improve.

Before heading to Buffalo, the Red Wings practiced at Little Caesars Arena at noon on Sunday:

A bit about Trey Augustine’s 24-25 season (thus far)

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen offers the following note about Red Wings prospect and Michigan State University goaltender Trey Augustine:

Detroit Red Wings prospect Trey Augustine (41st overall, 2023) made 30 saves Saturday to help the No. 1-ranked Michigan State (12-2-0) Spartans down Wisconsin 3-2 on an overtime goal by Isaac Howard.

The win gave MSU against a Wisconsin squad that ended the Spartans’ nine-game winning streak Friday with a 4-0 triumph. Augustine gave up three goals in that contest, making 22 saves. This season, Augustine is 10-2 with a 1.83 goals-against average and .934 save percentage.

Augustine’s 30 saves included an overtime stop by Christian Fitzgerald.

Over two seasons at Michigan State, Augustine is 33-11-2. In Sebastian Cossa, Carter Gylander and Augustine, the Red Wings have three quality goalie prospects in the 22 and under category. Gylander made 23 saves to earn the 5-4 overtime road win for Grand Rapids Griffins against the Chicago Wolves Saturday.  He is 2-1 for the Griffins this season and 5-1-2 for the Toledo Walleye.

MSU plays at No. 4 Minnesota for two games next weekend.

Continued