Detroit Red Wings show signs of life in chaotic Week 10

The best way I can describe this week of Detroit Red Wings hockey is a "roller coaster".

This week the Red Wings took on the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a good week for the Red Wings, as they went 2-1-0 against other Eastern Conference teams, two of which are Atlantic Division rivals.

Alex Lyon would remain injured, and Cam Talbot would only return for one game. Otherwise, they would stay healthy all week. We would also see Sebastian Cossa's NHL Debut.

Positive week allows for some potential hope

Dec. 9, 2024
Red Wings @ Sabres
6-5 Red Wings SO Win
SOG: 31-21 Red Wings
PP%: 0% - 0%

Starting Goaltenders: Ville Husso v James Reimer

Both the Red Wings and Sabres come into this game looking to snap their 5-game losing streaks. They've also got a habit of having very high-scoring games no matter who's in the net on either side, and this game would be no different; with both teams vying to stay in the wild card race in the Eastern Conference, scoring would be at a surplus. Albert Johansson and Christian Fischer would be out for this game.

There were 5 goals in the first period, which started pretty fast, but less than 2 minutes into the game, they would score off the rush with a shot that you'd like Husso to stop, but regardless, the Sabres take the 1-0 lead. Fortunately, Alex Debrincat (12) has been on a very underrated roll lately, and thanks to some good work along the boards from Dylan Larkin (10), they tie the game at 1-1. That's not all, folks, as 40 seconds later, known offensive dynamo Andrew Copp (6) would bury a rebound assisted by J.T. Compher (8) and Moritz Seider (12) to take the 2-1 lead. Both teams looked like they decided to do away with their respective systems and play nothing but offense all game. Unfortunately for the Red Wings, the Sabres would be the next team to provide offense in this game when they would absolutely burn past Tyler Motte, who was covering for Ben Chiarot on defense, and do what he does best against the Red Wings: score. Tied at 2-2, both teams would exchange offensive opportunities, but unfortunately, the Sabres would once again beat the Red Wings to the punch when they broke away from Compher and scored another goal that you'd probably him to stop, regardless, the Sabres take the 3-2 lead. We would then get 2 minutes of 4-on-4 after DeBrincat and Aube-Kubel would be unfriendly towards each other and get 2 minutes each for unsportsmanlike conduct. Nothing would come of this, and the 1st period would end with the Sabres ahead with a 3-2 lead.

The second period started with a Red Wings goalie change, meaning we would see the NHL debut of Top goaltending and Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa. Just over a minute into the period, Lucas Raymond (11) scored off a fantastic feed from Dylan Larkin (11), and Erik Gustafsson (5) was there also. The game would remain tied for a short time, however, as a minute later Nicolas Aube-Kubel would score his first of the season to put the Sabres back on top 4-3. The Sabres would primarily dominate the second period, generating the majority of the scoring chances, and it would pay off for them with another goal by Jason Zucker to make it 5-3. The Red Wings would be able to get some offense before the end of the period, but nothing that ended in a goal. The period would end with the Sabres up 5-3.

The third was nothing all Red Wings the entire time. The team played the best period of hockey they have all season to this point. They are not allowing the Sabres to do anything offensively all period. The Sabres Defense would hold strong for most of the period until, you guessed it, Andrew Copp (7) would score his second of the game off another Patent James Reimer rebound, assisted by Ben Chiarot (4) and J.T. Compher (9) to make it a one-shot game at 5-4. The Red Wings would continue to press the Sabres and James Reimer. Their hard work would pay off as Moritz Seider (3) would snipe the puck past Reimer to tie the game at 5-5, assisted by Lucas Raymond (19) and Simon Edvinsson (10). Both teams would try to get some offense going to take the lead but would ultimately be unsuccessful, and we're heading to overtime.

Overtime started and ended. Absolutely nothing happened in overtime because nothing ever happens in overtime. The game remains tied, and we're going to a shootout.

Shootout results:
Thompson: Cossa Save
Raymond: Goal
Peterka: Cossa Save
Kane: Wide right
Larkin: Goal

This game seemed like the Red Wings decided to push aside every system that Lalonde had put in place and just decided to play lose and fast. Cossa had a good debut, and while it probably wasn't the debut he anticipated. It was pretty clear that he wasn't prepared for the NHL speed; he looked solid after getting settled in and warmed up, leading him to be the first goaltender in NHL history to win in his NHL debut in a shootout during a relief effort. The offense definitely showed up this game, but the defense was almost entirely absent. But a win is a win; even better, it was against an Atlantic division opponent.