Red Wings trampled by Buffalo in 5-2 loss

Sebastian Cossa still not NHL ready

The Detroit Red Wings looked to recover from a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh. However, the results were very much the same. Detroit fell to Buffalo 5-2 on Saturday afternoon. The preseason is for decision making, and some decisions seem abundantly clear now. 

The game against Buffalo saw the usual suspects become an issue. Goaltending has to be better, and Sebastian Cossa has a lot to prove this year. Unfortunately, Cossa allowed four goals on just 20 shots from the Sabres. 

Red Wings top line still produced

Detroit has one complete line, and once again that trio carried the offense. Patrick Kane scored Detroit’s first goal, assisted by Alex Debrincat. Marco Kasper netted the only other tally, after following up on a rebound. Those three players continue to shine, even in a lackluster outing by the Wings. 

Kasper’s play in particular continues to get stronger. He never shies away from physical play, and his follow through is always impressive. Debrincat is built for offensive attack, and his quick pass to Kane shows that those two have not lost a step. Good things are coming from these three in the coming season. 

The defensive structure just isn’t there

Cossa was ultimately responsible for stopping the puck, however the team defense is lacking. Two lost faceoffs became two quick goals against for Detroit. The players were slow to react, and subsequently taken down by well executed faceoff plays. 

The blueline deficiencies are obviously, and frankly troubling. Chiarot continues to struggle, and there is no clear system at work right now. Detroit still has a glut of third pairing defensemen, and that is the most glaring weakness right now. So far, none of the defensive prospects have jumped off the page to provide the answer to that void.