The Buffalo Sabres (25-33-6) fell 7-3 to the Detroit Red Wings (31-28-6) on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Josh Norris netted his first goal as a Sabre, while Tage Thompson and Zach Benson each contributed a goal and an assist. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped just 22-of-29 shots and has allowed five goals or more in three of his last five starts.
Detroit’s Patrick Kane dominated with a five-point performance (3+2), while Alex DeBrincat (1+3), Marco Kasper (2+1), and Vladimir Tarasenko also made key contributions. Petr Mrazek earned the win with 23 saves.
Buffalo trailed 3-2 after a high-scoring first period, with Thompson opening the scoring and Norris adding a late goal. Detroit extended its lead in the second, as Tarasenko found the net before Benson responded with a power-play goal to cut the deficit to 4-3. However, penalties gave Detroit a two-man advantage heading into the third.
Kane struck again early in the final period before assisting Kasper’s second goal. The game turned physical in the closing minutes, culminating in multiple fights and game misconducts for 10 players after a heated brawl. Moritz Seider sealed the win with a power-play goal.
Buffalo looks to bounce back at home against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].