Red Wings bounce back with 5-2 win over first-place Sabres

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News on Mar 27, 2026

Published in Hockey

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BUFFALO — The Red Wings are living through a March Madness in their race of the NHL playoffs, and it's no less exciting and unpredictable as the basketball version.

After two disheartening losses, the Wings went into Buffalo Friday and defeated one of the best teams in the NHL, 5-2.

Alex DeBrincat (power play, 36th goal), Lucas Raymond (23rd, power play) and Marco Kasper (8th goal) scored first-period goals, Jacob Bernard-Docker scored his first goal in the third period and Patrick Kane's empty-net goal (13th goal) closed it out, as the Wings raced to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes and maintained control. Goaltender John Gibson stopped 25 shots, as the Wings rebounded impressively.

The first-period goals ended a drought of seven games in which the Wings hadn't scored a first-period goal.

The victory continued to tighten and jumble the Eastern Conference playoff picture, that changes every day. The Wings (39-25-8, 86 points) moved to within a point of the New York Islanders (87 points) for the second and final Eastern Conference wild-card race. The Wings have also played one less game. Ottawa also has 86 points.

Tage Thompson (37th goal) and Rasmus Dahlin (16th goal) scored for Buffalo (44-21-8, 96 points). The Sabres are a staggering 33-7-4 in its last 44 games — but have lost three straight games.

The Wings blitzed former teammate goaltender Alex Lyon, with the three, first-period goals. Lyon stopped 15 shots while losing only his fourth decision in the last 21 games (17-3-1).

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