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Zach Benson Buffalo Sabres Zach Benson, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

3 Takeaways From the Sabres’ Bounce Back Win vs. Red Wings

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jean Patrick Vidad | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 8:45 PM ET

After a same score finish from Thursday night’s game, the Buffalo Sabres found themselves on the winning side this time as they split the two-game series against the Detroit Red Wings, 5-2, in the ongoing NHL preseason games at KeyBank Center.

The Sabres recovered from their loss, having seemingly learned from their weaknesses, and harnessed that to create advantages for their team to turn the results around. Despite facing more shots than the Red Wings, Alex Lyon held his ground against his former team, potentially locking up his backup spot in the goaltender rotation because of his performance. Lastly, the Sabres’ team effort proved to be the difference in this win, with contributions from seasoned stars and young up-and-comers.

Getting Better on Faceoffs

Faceoff woes were pretty evident in Buffalo’s loss in the last game. The Sabres were outdone 38-27 in faceoffs, which created more possessions, thus opportunities for the Red Wings. Although their faceoff play is far from perfect, a couple of goals resulted from Buffalo winning the faceoff battle.

In the fourth minute of the first period, Josh Norris won a faceoff, which found Zach Benson. Benson skated around and found Bowen Byram, who weaved a pass to the positioned Rasmus Dahlin, sniping a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle to open the scoring for the Sabres, 1-0.

To start the second frame, Norris quickly intercepted the puck from the faceoff, which landed on Tage Thompson’s stick, who fired a quick shot that found the back of the net to stretch the Sabres’ lead, 3-1. Norris recorded a goal of his own in the dying seconds to add insult to injury, cruising to a 5-2 win.

Lyon Looked Good Against His Former Team

Lyon, who was acquired by the Sabres through an offseason signing, looks to have secured a backup spot for the team after saving 26 out of the 28 shots he faced tonight. He last played in Buffalo’s back-to-back win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he posted a .929 save percentage (SV%), denying 13 out of 14 shots.

The team expects Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to be back for the remainder of the preseason games, making this Lyon’s last chance to prove himself deserving of the backup role. With a .929 SV% over his two games, he has made his case.

Andrew Copp rushed with the puck after the Red Wings won a possession battle in the neutral zone and sent it off to Mason Appleton, only to be stopped by Lyon. Alex DeBrincat also found a hole in the Sabres’ defense, launching a shot which Lyon nabbed.

Stars and Young Guns Stepped Up

With a different lineup going into this game, much was to be expected from the result. The Sabres ultimately came out on top with major contributions from veterans and youngsters. After Dahlin netted the first goal of the game, the young guys responded with a goal from another defenseman.

Isak Rosen sauced a pass to Konsta Helenius, who went on a two-on-two breakout opportunity. Helenius swung a pass to Radim Mrtka, who buried a goal that sneaked past the goalie’s glove side. The ninth overall pick made the most out of his preseason stint, as he looks to build on this momentum as he suits up for the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League this upcoming season.

In a small sample size, Buffalo managed to score on a power play amidst their struggles with the man advantage. Thompson rifled a shot after the Sabres dissected the Red Wings’ defense with crisp and well-placed passes, taking the goalie out of the picture, which he made no mistake.

What’s Next

The Sabres are set to conclude their preseason games against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, Oct. 1, on their home ice with puck drop at 7:00 pm.