Detroit City Wire

The Detroit Red Wings managed to turn the tables on the Buffalo Sabres with a 2-1 victory at Little Caesars Arena. The win was secured through two power-play goals by captain Dylan Larkin, avenging their previous loss to the Sabres at KeyBank Center.

Larkin expressed relief after the game, saying, "[Saturday’s win] was something we needed, especially with how things have been going and kind of the roller coaster we’ve been on." He acknowledged that while it wasn't a perfect performance, it was a strong showing on home ice.

Goalie Cam Talbot played a crucial role in breaking the team's three-game winless streak by saving 31 out of 32 shots. On the opposing side, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves for the Sabres, who are now facing their own three-game losing streak.

Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde praised his team’s effort against what he described as "a really good offensive team," highlighting both their power play and penalty kill performances.

Talbot emphasized the importance of early saves for team morale: "You get scored on first shift at home, things can turn bad in a hurry." Despite conceding a short-handed goal to Alex Tuch in the first period, Talbot maintained composure throughout the match.

Larkin later equalized in the second period with an assist from Patrick Kane. This assist marked Kane's 294th career NHL power-play assist, placing him seventh among U.S.-born players in NHL history. Larkin then scored again to give Detroit a lead they would not relinquish.

Coach Lalonde commended Larkin's influence on games like this one: “When we find a quality game like this...it’s usually driven by Dylan.”

Despite late pressure from Buffalo when Luukkonen left his net for an extra attacker, Detroit held firm. Lalonde noted that Detroit didn't concede any goals in the final period and praised Talbot's contributions during key moments.

Looking ahead, Detroit will embark on a two-game road trip starting with a match against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Wednesday night.