Detroit, Mich. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres suffered their first loss of the 2025 preseason on Thursday night, falling 5-2 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.
Early on, the Sabres went blow-for-blow with the Red Wings before Detroit pulled away in the second period with three unanswered goals.
Both teams traded early special teams goals in the first period.
Striking first was Detroit, taking advantage of a Sabres gaff while playing shorthanded. Red Wings forward Andrew Copp was able to connect with linemate Mason Appleton to open the scoring just 5:39 into the first.
The Sabres' power play had a quick response after the shorthanded tally, though, as Noah Ostlund's first goal of the preseason tied the game at 1-1 just 44 seconds later.
Later in the opening period, the special teams damage continued.
Red Wings forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard vaulted Detroit back into the lead with a wrist shot that evaded Sabres netminder Alexandar Georgiev with traffic in front of him.
Seven minutes into the second period, the Sabres evened the score once again with, yet, another power play goal. This time, it was forward Josh Doan tucking home a loose puck to make it 2-2.
The game was tied for all of three minutes, however, before Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin beat Georgiev to re-claim the lead for Detroit, 3-2.
The Red Wings' lead doubled to 4-2 with 7:25 to play in the middle frame. A centering pass attempt from defenseman Moritz Seider, skating down behind the net, was deflected into the goal by the Sabres instead.
Before period's end, the Red Wings added a fifth goal against Georgiev as Detroit kept pulling away. Doing the damage was Copp, who had earlier assisted on the game's opening goal.
Both teams failed to find the back of the net in the third period, as Detroit dominated Buffalo throughout the evening by outshooting the Sabres, 40-18.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 6:23 - Noah Ostlund (1) PPG (Josh Doan, Jack Quinn)
DET: 5:39 - Mason Appleton (1) SHG (Andrew Copp); 9:04 - Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (1) PPG (Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Nate Danielson)
Second Period:
BUF: 6:59 - Josh Doan (1) PPG (Jack Quinn, Noah Ostlund)
DET: 10:04 - Dylan Larkin (1) (Jacob Bernard-Docker, Lucas Raymond); 12:35 - Moritz Seider (1) (Elmer Soderblom); 18:23 - Andrew Copp (1) (Lucas Raymond)
Third Period:
BUF: NONE
DET: NONE
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Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Andrew Copp - DET
2.) Josh Doan - BUF
3.) Lucas Raymond - DET
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What's next:
The Sabres play host to the Red Wings on Saturday afternoon in the second game of their home-and-home preseason series. Puck drop at KeyBank Center is set for 3 p.m. and can be heard on WGR Sports Radio 550.