The Detroit Red Wings(18-8-9) took on the Buffalo Sabres(13-9-3) in the last game before the Christmas break. Detroit skidded into the game having lost their last 6 games going 0-2-4. Detroit got back Stephen Weiss for the first time since their losing streak started, he filled in for Joakim Andersson who was a scratch for the 2nd straight game and with Jimmy Howard still out Petr Mrazek would be backed up by Thomas McCollum. The Sabers entered the game having lost their last 3 games heading into the tilt and were without the services of 6 of their regular starters including Tyler Myers and Captain Brian Gionta.
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First Period
Detroit came out looking like a team ready to get back into their winning ways registering 3 shots early and controlling the play. That was until a deflected pass bounced off of Nicolas Deslauriers and found its way passed Petr Mrazek. Detroit would answer eight minutes later with a power play goal from the returning Weiss who deflected a Kindl point shot passed Michal Neuvrith. Three minutes later Buffalo found themselves up 2-1 after Chris Stewart connected from Cody Hodgson on a bang-bang two on one attempt. Brendan Smith went all-in on Hodgson attempting to stop the pass apparently believing the ponderous Jakub Kindl could catch the streaking Stewart leaving Petr Mrazek stranded. Detroit controlled the play leaving the period up 15 to 6 on shot attempts but looking very much like a team that was devoid of energy.
Second Period
Detroit continued to press the Sabers at the start of the period but the Buffalo goaltending and defense met the challenge and stymied the Wings and punished them physically easily winning the hitting battle. This period saw not only Niklas Kronwall leave the game but also Weiss who took a forearm to the head from Nikita Zadorov. Zadorov would draw a penalty for holding at the 7:55 mark of the period, on the resultant power play Kindl had a shot from the high slot blocked and with all 4 forwards down low on the play a 2 on 0 break away resulted in a short-handed goal being scored by Andre Benoit. Benoit picked a great spot and blew one by Mrazek who had again been hung out to dry by his team. The period turned bleak and the Wings seemed to visibly deflate until during the final minutes of the period the combined pressure from Luke Glendening and Tomas Jurco turned a puck over. Jurco then fed Danny DeKeyser with a nifty behind the back pass who flicked a wrist shot that dipped at the last moment and found daylight in Neuvirth’s five hole. Detroit was lucky to finish the period down 3-2 after repeated gaffs defensively from the Smith Kindl combo could have left them in a bigger hole. Shots at the end of the period were 26-10 in favor of Detroit.
Third Period
Coming into the period the team was still riding the high of the Dekeyser goal and seemed to find new life even down 2 players. Detroit would score 4 unanswered goals in the period and absolutely looked like the better team they should have been in the previous periods. Buffalo to their credit made things really hard on themselves as they took 3 penalties in the period of which Detroit capitalized on all 3. Henrik Zetterberg had the only even strength marker in the period after he ripped a slap shot from the high slot after being set up by Datsyuk and Abdelkader screening in front. Tomas Tatar would score 2 power play goals on his off wing and the birthday boy Johan Franzen scored his first goal in many games, also on the power play. Not bad for a 35-year-old Mrazek was only challenged 6 times in the period while his Detroit teammates tallied 13. This game set the mark for fewest shots allowed in a game this season as the Wings held Buffalo to only 16 shots with Detroit finishing with 39.
Final Summery
The Detroit Red Wings did everything they could to lose the game in the first two periods and hung the stellar Petr Mrazek out to dry far to many times. While the corsi numbers and advanced stats will look good for them, Buffalo was smothering and oppressive and the shot attempts that Detroit did take were blocked and second chances were met by physical play that the Wings seemed to shirk from. It wasn’t until late in the second period Detroit’s puck possession game finally cracked the composure of the Sabers and took them off their game. DeKeysers’ goal rallied the team and as Johan Franzen said, “It was about coming out pissed off”. And they did, but if not for 3 power plays in the third period this game could have traveled down the all to familiar path of overtime/shoot out the last 6 games had. The good news is that Kronwall and Weiss are expected to be healthy and ready to play for the next tilt on Saturday the 27th against Ottawa
As it is the Season, Have a Happy and Safe Holidays and Lets Go Red Wings.