Author: George Malik

The Red Wings’ 3-2 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night was exactly the kind of game that last year’s Red Wings team would have lost.

The Red Wings gave up the game’s first goal; they were able to generate a pair of goals in 1:19, but never did pull away from Buffalo, instead, surrendering the game-tying goal with only 1:37 remaining in regulation, and the Wings headed to overtime…

Where this happened:

The 2021-2022 season Red Wings stand at 10-9-and-3 going into a busy week (back-to-back games in Boston on Tuesday, at home vs. Seattle on Wednesday, and home vs. Long Island [maybe???] a week from Saturday) in no small part because they’ve won a couple of close games that almost certainly would have been disappointingly close losses a year ago.

Now there are still a lot of ways in which the Red Wings can improve–winning a game like this without needing to resort to overtime is a big way in which they could take significant steps forward–but earning a “by any means necessary” win on Saturday counts toward the Red Wings’ long-term growth as well as their short-term success.

Our friends from Buffalo had been playing their 2nd game in 2 nights and their 3rd in 5 overall, so the Sabres did feel “somewhat fortunate to earn a point” (as they say), but they wanted more than one, as they told the Buffalo News’s Mike Harrington:

Nice Tweet from the NHL, via the Red Wings:

Teenagers to score an overtime goal for the @DetroitRedWings:

Lucas Raymond (Nov. 27, 2021)
Steve Yzerman (Oct. 26, 1983)#NHLStats: https://t.co/GVqKMAE7CF pic.twitter.com/tCdXbsooBU— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 28, 2021

The Detroit Red Wings attempted to build a 2-game winning streak at the expense of the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

The Wings sort of rope-a-doped their way to a 3-2 overtime victory. Detroit surrendered the first goal, a Dylan Cozens goal 5:05 into the 2nd, but the Wings exploded at the game’s halfway point, with Carter Rowney and Pius Suter scoring 2 goals in 1:14, and, after the Sabres scored the game-tying goal with only 1:37 remaining, Lucas Raymond made amends for the point stolen by Buffalo goalie Dustin Tokarski, skating into the Sabres end and scoring himself all of 26 seconds into overtime.

It wasn’t the most entertaining game, but Detroit won 3-2 because of three massive goals for, and the Wings are now off until Tuesday and Wednesday, when they head into Boston and then host Seattle, respectively.

Of prospect related note in Europe this afternoon:

In the Finnish Liiga, Otto Kivenmaki scored 2 goals on 2 shots, finishing even in 18:30 played as the Lahti Pelicans won 6-4 over SaiPa;

In the SHL, William Wallinder is injured and did not participate in Rogle BK’s 4-1 loss to Leksand;

Albert Johansson finished even with 7 shots in 17:07 played as Farjestads BK won 4-3 in a shootout over Vaxjo;

In Frolunda HC’s 4-3 overtime victory over Brynas:

Simon Edvinsson finished at -1 with 2 shots in 22:46 played;

Theodor Niederbach finished even in 12:12 played;

And Elmer Soderblom finished at -2 with 1 shot in 14:14 played;

And in the Swedish Allsvenskan, neither Gustav Berglund nor Albin Grewe played in Mora IK’s 2-1 win over Sodertalje SK.

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan discusses the Red Wings’ penalty-kill in his pre-game notebook:

A penalty-killing unit that was struggling early on, and has been a source of frustration for fans for several seasons now, sat 24th (out of 32 teams) in the NHL on Saturday morning at 78.1%.

Still not sensational, given the rank. But with the way the unit has been playing lately, with the success it has had, certainly is reason for optimism.

“It’s been huge,” goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic said. “We were going over (the St. Louis) power play (Wednesday) and thinking it’s been a while since we gave up a power play goal.  The PK has definitely stepped up the past two or three weeks. Even (Wednesday), yes, they get that one in the first period, but those were two big kills in the third there with the lead and trying to protect the lead.

“We didn’t really give them much of anything on them, and it’s definitely a testament to guys battling and laying out and sacrificing their bodies and committing to getting better on the penalty kill.”

Continued

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff provides some pre-game reading via this notebook article regarding Givani Smith’s promotion to the Red Wings’ second line of Robby Fabbri and Pius Suter:

“We’ll continue to make clear to him that we’d like to see him be a physical presence, which he has been at times last couple of games,” Blashill said of Smith. “But there’s a lot more to it with him. Him and I have talked lots about being real good in our zone, being real good with the puck moving up through the ice.

“He should be a real simple player with the puck moving up through the ice, get it out at our blue line, get it in at their blue line and play in the O-zone, because that’s where he can separate himself.

“He’s got a unique skill-set when he’s in the O-zone, so let’s get there.”

It’s that unique skill set that the Red Wings are hoping the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Smith will be utilizing. What they’re seeking from him is getting more pucks in the O-zone for Suter and Fabbri. Then upon gaining puck possession, the creatiion of havoc at the net front.

“If we did it with Smitty it would be a net presence, big-body guy, a playmaking center (Suter) with a shooter with Fabbri,” Blashill said. “That line has gotten chances but they’re a little bit, all a little slight, so you got a big body up there as well.

“I’m not sure we’re going to stay with it and certainly don’t know if we’ll stay with it within the game but it’s something we wanted to look at.”

Continued

Here’s the Red Wings “The Forecheck” ahead of tonight’s game vs. the Buffalo Sabres:

DetroitRedWings.com’s Daniella Bruce posted the following ahead of tonight’s Hockey Fights Cancer night at Little Caesars Arena:

Tonight is Hockey Fights Cancer Night at LCA. @DetroitRedWings head coach Jeff Blashill had a thoughtful message about what it means to be a part of this game and this initiative. #LGRW #HockeyFightsCancer ? pic.twitter.com/75Xido3gCE— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) November 27, 2021

The Detroit Red Wings held an optional morning skate ahead of tonight’s game vs. Buffalo (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM), and we found out that Joe Veleno (upper-body injury) and Danny DeKeyser (COVID protocol) remain out, with Marc Staal (illness) being a game-time decision.

After the morning skate, coach Jeff Blashill spoke with the media:

The Detroit Red Wings host the Buffalo Sabres this evening (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM; tonight is Hockey Fights Cancer Night at LCA).

The Sabres defeated Montreal 4-1 in Buffalo last night, so they’re not holding a morning skate, but BuffaloSabres.com’s Chris Rydnak posted a set of stats regarding tonight’s game:

• This is the second of four meetings between the Sabres and Red Wings this season.
• Last meeting: Detroit defeated Buffalo 4-3 (OT) in Buffalo on Nov. 6, 2021
• Next meeting: Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 in Detroit

• The Sabres are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games against the Red Wings; 8-2-0 on the road.
• This is the 147th game all-time between Buffalo and Detroit; Buffalo has a 66-59-21 series record.
• The Sabres are 27-39-8 on the road against the Red Wings all-time. 

The Red Wings took to the ice at Little Caesars Arena around 10:30 AM for their morning skate, though you wouldn’t know so based upon the sparse media Tweets:

Marc Staal is on the ice this morning for an optional skate. Jeff Blashill said yesterday he was unsure of Staal’s status for tonight. Update coming soon. #LGRW— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) November 27, 2021

Tonight’s rosters vs Buffalo pic.twitter.com/tcXKIuVZHd— Ken Kal (@KenKalDRW) November 27, 2021

After the morning skate…