RECAP: Red Wings cruise to 5-2 preseason win over Sabres

DETROIT -- Taking care of business with an NHL-heavy lineup in the second game of their 2025-26 preseason schedule, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Buffalo Sabres, 5-2, at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night.

Head coach Todd McLellan said he liked what he saw from the Red Wings, who outshot the Sabres 40-18.

"A real good hunting mentality," McLellan said. "The tenacity from one job to the next was evident, I thought. It wasn't go do some work here and then kind of casually come out of it and be done. I thought we were connected on the ice -- five guys working together with a plan -- so that was good to see. Again, two different teams, two different nights. We saw it, so hopefully they're picking up that concept."

Goalie Cam Talbot played the first half of Thursday’s exhibition contest, making six saves before prospect Michal Postava replaced the veteran and turned aside all 10 shots he faced.

"I'm not thinking about if this is preseason or full season," Postava said. "I am trying 100 percent every game, so I am happy it worked well today and I need to continue."

The first four goals from the Atlantic Division clubs all came via special teams. The Red Wings kicked off the scoring, as Andrew Copp applied pressure on the forecheck and stole the puck behind the Sabres’ goal line before setting up Mason Appleton for a short-handed strike to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at 5:39 of the opening frame.

After Noah Ostlund netted one on the power play to tie it 1-1 for Buffalo just 44 seconds later, Detroit grabbed the lead right back when Michael Brandsegg-Nygård fired a shot from the left circle for a power-play goal to make it 2-1 at 9:04 of the first period. Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Nate Danielson each picked up an assist.

"It's real important for us to see him and for him to experience life in this environment," McLellan said about Brandsegg-Nygård. "Part of camp is us learning and understanding how players react to different situations, how they tick, the amount of information they can take in. And in turn, they're learning a little bit about us. How are we going to react when they make a mistake? What are practices going to be like? To provide a little bit of comfort in that while they're here is really important, and he's played very well."

Back on the power play, the Sabres evened things up again when Josh Doan cleaned up the rebound on Jack Quinn’s shot to get it to 2-2 at 10:04 of the second period.

But, like they did in the first period, the Red Wings responded. At 10:04, captain Dylan Larkin found a loose puck just outside of the crease and made it 3-2. The assists went to Jacob Bernard-Docker and Lucas Raymond.

"I think his development has been good," McLellan said about Bernard-Docker. "Sometimes, it's hard to crack the roster with your first team. You learn lessons along the way and there's a lot of players that blossom as they move on. They learn the lessons and know what they can get away with and what they can't. He knows who he is now as a player and we're hoping to capitalize on that."

Doubling Detroit’s lead, Moritz Seider managed to get the puck home following a battle for it behind the net to make it 4-2 at 12:35 of the second period. Elmer Soderblom and Jacob Truscott had the assists.

"His physicality, durability and engine are all elite," McLellan said about Seider. "I think he's got an incredible shot when it hits the net."

Just before the second intermission, Raymond weaved through the offensive zone before sending the puck to the net, where Copp knocked the rebound out of mid-air and scored to push it to 5-2 at 18:23 of the middle frame.

"We've talked about Copp and Compher, and the importance that they'll have to play on this team," McLellan said. "We're pushing both of them. I thought Copp had a real good game tonight. Went to the paint, scored aroiund there. He doesn't have to score from distance. He's a big man with good hands around that area. We've got to score more as a team there and he might as well lead the way."

That score held through the game's final 20 minutes, and the clubs wrapped up the night with a shootout.

"The home team decides that," McLellan said about having a shootout. "Home teams almost always did it, and then sometimes your shooters are giving away their bag of tricks. There's becoming a book on the shooters. Some of the guys we used tonight, we wanted to see. We wanted to see the goaltender, and if we were in the regular season we probably would have went with some other players. But, it's good to see what could be coming or what might already be here as far as shootout guys."

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for a preseason matchup at PPG Paints Arena on Friday night.

WHAT WAS SAID

McLellan on Sandin-Pellikka

"He seems to be getting better as it goes along. Incredible vision on the blue line and really, deception. The ability to hold then release the puck, I don't think anybody, including his teammates, know if he's going to shoot or pass it, which is a real good thing. We're just anxiously watching him get better and better night after night, and he's starting to adapt."

Brandsegg-Nygård on showing the physicality in his game during the preseason

"I'm just trying to show that I'm willing to play hard to play here. I know the hockey in the NHL is pretty hard, so I'm trying to get used to that and use my body as much as possible."

Brandsegg-Nygård on playing alongside mostly NHL regulars

"I like it. It's cool to just see how they are on the ice and on the bench too. I'm just trying to learn as much as possible and hopefully, try to be like those guys someday."

Postava on his career and development so far

"I think it's a fast progress for me, but I would say that I'm happy and I need to continue this work and be better and better every day."