Sabres score 7, hand Red Wings 6th loss in row

BUFFALO -- Bowen Byram had two goals for the Buffalo Sabres in a 7-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

Byram has four points (three goals, one assist) in three games since Buffalo acquired him in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche on March 6.

“Coming to a new team, you definitely want to help the team win any way you can,” Byram said. “If that’s scoring goals, blocking shots or playing physical, good [defense], whatever it might be, it’s a good feeling to be helping out there. I thought we had a lot of guys that played well tonight and, like I’ve been saying, we’ve got to continue that down the stretch.”

Zach Benson had a goal and two assists, and Jordan Greenway and Tage Thompson each had two assists for the Sabres (31-30-5), who are 7-3-1 in their past 11 games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves.

“It feels good, obviously, to help the team get the two points,” Benson said. “I thought overall collectively, we played a really good hockey game. “Obviously, ‘Bo’ has been awesome since he’s arrived, and just a lot of guys in this room. Obviously, ‘Upie’ (Luukkonen) was good again. You could go through all these guys.”

Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (33-26-6), who have lost six in a row. Alex Lyon allowed four goals on 14 shots before being replaced by James Reimer (23 saves) in the first period.

“Obviously, we all know that game we just put out there wasn't what we need at this time of year, and especially with the circumstances that we have on hand,” defenseman Jeff Petry said. “So, I think everybody realizes that and knows that we have to be better.”

Alex Tuch gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 1:07 of the first period when he outraced Detroit defenseman Ben Chiarot to a loose puck and drove to the net before slipping a backhand five-hole on Lyon.

Byram made it 2-0 at 10:09, converting on the rebound of a Benson shot.

Chiarot cut it to 2-1 at 12:37 when he scored on a seam pass from Raymond at the left hash marks.

Benson pushed it to 3-1 at 13:00 on a snap shot from the right circle.

“We knew that they were coming back from a West Coast road trip and had a tough travel day yesterday,” Tuch said. “We’ve been in their shoes, been in their position where when you come back from the road, come back east, it’s really hard to get your legs back under you and adjust to the time change. So, we wanted to start hard and fast, and we were able to do so tonight.”

Jeff Skinner made it 4-1 at 15:29 after coming off the bench and taking a pass from Benson. Lyon was pulled after the goal.

“This is not on the goaltending at all. We left the goalies out to dry,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Poor Alex, in the first period, didn't have much of a chance. Your first look is Tuch coming 100 miles an hour down the middle of the ice. Like, that's on us, a soft play up the middle, breakaway. They're a team, if you give them easy offense, they're going to [put you away]. That's exactly what we did in the first period.”

Connor Clifton extended the lead 5-1 at 4:27 of the second period with a one-timer off a pass from Thompson at the left wall, and Byram made it 6-1 at 9:05 when he pushed in the rebound of a Thompson shot at the front of the net.

Raymond cut it to 6-2 at 9:29 from the slot on the power play.

JJ Peterka made it 7-2 at 13:49 when he intercepted Daniel Sprong’s pass attempt in the neutral zone and shot to the far corner from the left circle.

Jake Walman scored from the high slot at 17:32 of the third for the 7-3 final.

NOTES: Byram is the first defenseman in Sabres history to score at least three goals in his first three games with the team. He is the 20th defenseman in NHL history to do so with his new team and is the first to do it since Kurtis Foster (Nov. 19-25, 2005, with the Minnesota Wild). … Tuch scored Buffalo’s second-fastest opening goal this season, behind Rasmus Dahlin (30 seconds, on Dec. 19, 2023). … Benson is the fourth 18-year-old in Buffalo history with at least three points in a game, joining Phil Housley, Pierre Turgeon and Dahlin. Benson (18 years, 305 days) is the third-youngest Sabres player with three points in a period, behind Pierre Turgeon (18 years, 65 days) and Housley (18 years, 222 days). … Red Wings forward Joe Veleno left early in the second period after he was hit by a shot by Clifton. Lalonde said he “seemed fine, but he'll see a doctor in the morning. Hopefully be available for Thursday (against the Arizona Coyotes).”