Larkin Comes Back, Red Wings Hang on to Beat Sabres

They lost captain Dylan Larkin for a spell and nearly lost the game, but in the end the Detroit Red Wings hung for their sixth victory in the last seven games.

A 5-3 road victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday was the club’s third in a row. Last season, Buffalo beat Detroit in all four meetings between these two Atlantic Division rivals.

If you’re looking for the difference maker in this outcome, look no further than Larkin. Playing his second game back in the lineup since Larkin and his wife Kenzy lost their unborn daughter, the Red Wings captain was the epitome of a leader.

THAT'S OUR CAP. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/LQV1A5L4an

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 6, 2023

He put Detroit into the lead with the game’s opening tally just 3:40 following the center ice puck drop to begin festivities. In the third period, with the Red Wings leading 4-1, Larkin left the game and went to the Detroit locker room after being slammed hard into the boards by Sabres forward Tyson Jost.

Larkin later told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan that he got “hit between the pads.”

Returning to the ice later in the period, after Buffalo was narrowing Detroit’s margin to 4-3, Larkin would salt away the win with an empty-net marker. It was the 100th multi-point game of his Red Wings career.

Dylan Larkin tonight:

16:30 toi
— 2 goals (including EN dagger)
— 4 shots
— 1 penalty drawn
— 2 takeaways (no giveaways)
— 11/16 on Faceoffs
— 69.44 5v5 xGF% (2nd on Red Wings)

Willing wins. pic.twitter.com/iPhBODUcSY

— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) December 6, 2023

The captain would finish the night with 16:30 of ice time and four shots on goal. He won 11 of 16 faceoffs.

“Fingerprints all over the entire game,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Such a difference. He’s our top minutes guy. He plays in every situation. He’s a go-to guy.

“We are a heck of a lot better when he’s in our lineup and that was the case tonight.”

Red Wings Lyon Wins Again

Alex Lyon continued his solid play between the posts for Detroit. Improving to 4-1 with a .947 save percentage and 1.61 goals-against average, Lyon made 29 saves in the win.

“It’s incredible,” was Red Wings forward David Perron’s assessment of how Lyon has stepped in and been steady in net. “We’ve seen it since training camp, the way he just stays on the ice, takes one timers, takes shots from everyone. We saw how he’s played in the past in his career as well.

“He’s a great goalie. You’re only happy for him and you hopes he keeps it going for us.”

Robby Fabbri, Moritz Seider and Michael Rasmussen were also scoring for Detroit. Larkin’s empty-netter was a shorthanded goal. It’s the third successive game the team has tallied a SHG, the first time that’s happened in 20 years.