After winning two games at home, the Detroit Red Wings dropped a 6-2 loss in Buffalo against the Sabres as the mistakes piled up. Netminder Chris Osgood was pulled during the middle frame after allowing five markers on 22 shots. Jimmy Howard was inserted into goal and stopped all but one shot with about 27 minutes of ice time. Buffalo outshot Detroit 37-25 in the loss.
According to the Detroit Free Press:
After the teams traded power-play goals in the first period, the Sabres scored four times on seven shots in a span of 6:43 to chase Chris Osgood, who allowed five goals on 22 shots. The four goals matched the number Buffalo had scored in its first three games this season.
Forwards Valtteri Filppula and Tomas Holmstrom scored Detroit’s only two goals in the game. Filppula scored at the 4:30 remaining in the opening period to tie the game at one goal apiece. He tipped in a pass from defenseman Niklas Kronwall that came thanks to Detroit’s power-play opportunity. Homer made it a four-goal difference with a tally about halfway through the final stanza.
Once again, the Wings struggled in the second period allowing four goals. Thomas Vanek recorded two of those markers, but left with an upper body injury after his second goal. ESPN.com reports that he will be out for weeks with the injury. When you include Detroit’s three road games — two of which were in Sweden — the Wings have allowed 10 combined goals in the second period alone.
Forwards Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby were tabbed as healthy scratches to make room for the fourth line, which consisted of Brad May, Darren Helm, and Patrick Eaves.
What are your thoughts on the game? Chime in by responding to the poll and/or leaving your thoughts in the comment section.
Is this game and the team’s play representative of the season the Wings will have or just a minor blip in the schedule?
| No worries. It’s just a blip. | 57 |
| It may be just one game, but I have concerns. | 212 |
| The sky is falling. This loss was just a start of things to come. | 46 |
