While it may have only been the second pre-season game, the Detroit Red Wings played as if they were in mid-season form took control over the Buffalo Sabres at Little Caesars Arena, handily winning not only on the scoreboard but on the shot counter.
By the time it was all said and done, the Red Wings improved to 2-0 in pre-season play with a 5-2 victory, which included a 40-18 shots advantage.
Detroit iced a roster that was a mixture of established players who will be on the team this season along with several names hoping to earn a coveted roster spot. It was also the first of two scheduled pre-season games against Buffalo before the regular season begins on Oct. 9.
Newcomer Mason Appleton began the scoring for the Red Wings early in the opening frame, scoring shorthanded after Andrew Copp stole the puck from Sabres goaltender Alexandar Georgiev at the side of the net.
Just moments later, the Sabres would knot the score courtesy of Noah Östlund, who beat goaltender Cam Talbot with a one-timed shot.
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Pacing the scoring for the Red Wings the rest of the way were Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Andrew Copp, Moritz Seider, and Dylan Larkin; Brandsegg-Nygård’s goal in the opening frame was on the power-play.
Josh Doan, the son of former Arizona Coyotes forward Shane Doan, scored in the second period for the Sabres.
Goaltender Cam Talbot stopped two of the eight shots that he faced before being replaced as planned midway through the contest by Michal Postava; he stopped all 10 shots the Sabres fired his way.
Postava, who joined the Red Wings during the offseason after backstopping Brno Kometa to the Czech Extraliga championship in 2024-25 and is expected to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins, looked poised and confident in net in what was his first unofficial competition against NHL players on the smaller North American-sized ice surface.
He was also particularly strong in the shootout that followed the contest.
With the victory, the Red Wings are undefeated in pre-season play with a perfect 2-0 record. They’ll put the winning streak to the test on Friday evening when they face the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road at PPG Paints Arena (7:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network).
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