At the Horn | Red Wings 5 - Sabres 2

Special teams were the difference for the Buffalo Sabres in a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at KeyBank Center on Friday.

The loss dropped Buffalo to 0-1-2 in its last three games.

Detroit seized momentum early in the game with a pair of power-play goals from Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond. Marco Kasper scored later in the first period to extend the Red Wings’ lead to 3-0.

The Sabres cut into the deficit with a goal from Tage Thompson during the second period but were unable to capitalize on their own power-play opportunities as they tried to engineer a comeback. They finished the night 0-for-3 with the extra man.

Rasmus Dahlin added a second goal for the Sabres, but only after Jacob Bernard-Docker had scored to increase the Red Wings’ lead to 4-2. Patrick Kane scored an empty-net goal in the final minutes.

Alex Lyon made 14 saves.

The Sabres remain tied with the Carolina Hurricanes atop the Eastern Conference standings. The Hurricanes now have two games in hand.

Statistics

Scoring summary

DET 1 – BUF 0 | Period 1, 4:02 (PP) – Alex DeBrincat (36) from Moritz Seider (41) and Dylan Larkin (28)

DET 2 – BUF 0 | Period 1, 9:11 (PP) – Lucas Raymond (23) from Moritz Seider (42)

DET 3 – BUF 0 | Period 1, 16:06 – Marco Kasper (8) from Emmitt Finnie (15) and James van Riemsdyk (14)

DET 3 – BUF 1 | Period 2, 5:35 – Tage Thompson (37) from Peyton Krebs (25) and Conor Timmins (7)

DET 4 – BUF 1 | Period 3, 15:46 – Jacob Bernard-Docker (1) from Patrick Kane (31) and Alex DeBrincat (40)

DET 4 – BUF 2 | Period 3, 16:25 – Rasmus Dahlin (16) from Tanner Pearson (7) and Bowen Byram (27)

DET 5 – BUF 2 | Period 3, 18:17 (EN) – Patrick Kane (13) from Alex DeBrincat (41)

Photo gallery

Full highlights

Postgame sound

Up next

The homestand continues Saturday against Seattle. Tickets are still available. 

Coverage on MSG begins at 5 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 5:30.