Sabres vs. Red Wings | How to watch, lineup notes, and storylines
The Buffalo Sabres host the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night at KeyBank Center in an Atlantic Division showdown.
The Sabres are looking to end an 0-4-2 stretch that continued with a 5-2 loss to Utah on Saturday. The Red Wings, meanwhile, are 0-3-2 in their last five games after losing 2-1 to Colorado.
Monday at KeyBank Center is also "Banditland on Ice," a collaboration between the Sabres and Buffalo Bandits. Attending fans can enjoy meet-and-greets, photo opportunities and giveaways to celebrate the two-time defending National Lacrosse League champions.
Learn more about Banditland on Ice.
Here’s what you need to know before Monday’s 7 p.m. puck drop.
Rasmus Dahlin (back spasms) will miss a third-straight game, but he skated prior to Monday's session and could return later in the week, said coach Lindy Ruff.
Ryan Johnson, recalled from Rochester on Thursday, makes his 2024-25 season debut and joins Bowen Byram on the top defense pair. Read Sunday’s practice report for more on the 23-year-old defenseman.
Jordan Greenway (middle body) was activated off injured reserve and re-enters the lineup for his first game since Nov. 14.
Here is the full projected lineup from warmups.
During this six-game skid, a productive fourth line has been a welcomed development for the Sabres.
Over the last two games, with rookie call-up Tyson Kozak centering Beck Malenstyn and Nicolas Aube-Kubel, the line has played with physicality, won puck battles and turned defense into offense.
In 18:10 with those three on the ice at 5-on-5, Buffalo has led 8-4 in scoring chances and 6-0 in high-danger chances, per Natural Stat Trick.
Kozak, 21, has impressed both linemates with his performance through two games.
“Kozy has really put together two great hockey games – playing with a lot of confidence, playing really simple,” Malenstyn said. “It’s been a lot of fun to play with him. He’s really showing he belongs. Just playing north and south, making simple, right plays all the time. Hard on the forecheck, good in the D-zone. Nothing but great things. Really happy for him.”
“Being called up, sometimes you don’t want to make a mistake,” Aube-Kubel added, “but he’s been pretty calm and really poised with the puck.”
The wingers had already established chemistry together as linemates in Washington last season, and in Buffalo to begin this one. In following their simple style of play, Kozak has fit in seamlessly.
Malenstyn recorded a primary assist on Kozak’s first NHL goal Saturday versus Utah and dealt a game-high-tying seven hits. One of those hits, on Michael Kesselring against the end boards, initiated a second-period fight between the two.
“It was a time where I wasn’t concerned with having to answer the bell for it,” Malenstyn said. “We were down two at the time and just wanted to turn the tides with some energy.”
Buffalo ultimately failed to flip the script in Saturday’s defeat. Under Ruff’s leadership, Malenstyn feels the Sabres are analyzing but not dwelling on the mistakes that have snowballed into this winless stretch.
“I think [Ruff] does a great job of that – we address the issues, we look at the solutions and it allows the guys to be able to turn the page,” Malenstyn said. “We can’t come in here and be sulking. It’s that next-day, next-page mentality. Go to work and right those wrongs.”
If Malenstyn, Kozak and Aube-Kubel can maintain their high level of play, the Sabres will boast excellent forward depth when the top three lines inevitably find their footing once again.
2. Second-period struggles
The Sabres have started games strong of late, outscoring their opponents 8-2 in their last six first periods.
That said, outscored 8-0 in the middle 20 minutes during that span, Buffalo has been unable to carry its early momentum through the first intermission. The issue extends beyond the last six games; on the season, the Sabres have been outscored 35-23 in the second period.
Postgame Saturday, asked about Utah’s three-goal second period and Buffalo’s broader struggles in the middle frame, Ruff cited an overall lack of execution – ill-advised passes and turnovers, as well as a failure to get the puck deep in the opposing end.
Those mistakes haven’t always led to goals, but by extending skaters’ shifts in the period of the long change, they’ve made the Sabres especially susceptible to defensive lapses and unfavorable results.
3. Scouting the Red Wings
Losses are losses, but during Detroit’s five-game winless streak, each game has been decided by one goal. Now 10-13-4, the Red Wings sit one point behind the Sabres (11-13-3) in the Atlantic Division standings.
Monday marks the third of four meetings between the Sabres and Red Wings this season. Buffalo won the first matchup 5-3 at home on Oct. 26, while Detroit took the rematch 2-1 – with two power-play goals – at Little Caesar’s Arena on Nov. 2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started both games in net for the Sabres.
In the two games combined, Buffalo has carried play with a 57-percent share of shot attempts, 59-percent share of shots on goal and 56-percent share of scoring chances at 5-on-5.
Forward Lucas Raymond leads Detroit in both assists (18) and points (27). Captain Dylan Larkin has 20 points, including a team-leading 12 goals.
With goalies Cam Talbot and Alex Lyon nursing lower-body injuries and unavailable for Monday’s game, either Ville Husso or Sebastian Cossa will start in net. Husso has an .884 save percentage in six games. Cossa, the 15th-overall pick in 2021, awaits his NHL debut after being recalled Dec. 2.
