Kane Lifts Red Wings With Five-Point Night

DETROIT — Fans will look at Patrick Kane’s performance Wednesday and remember a five-point night. But Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan saw more than numbers.

“That’s called leadership,” McLellan said.  “That’s called experience. When you have the tool set that he has and you bring it on a night where the team’s pretty desperate and he delivers.”

Kane had two goals and three assists for five points to carry the Red Wings to a 7-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres. The triumph ended a six-game losing streak and moved the Red Wings within two points of the Columbus Blue Jackets who own the final Eastern Conference wildcard position.

Alex DeBrincat contributed his 30th goal of the season, plus three assists. Center Marco Kasper put up two goals and one assist for his eighth multiple-point game of the season.

Kane’s Scoring History

This was the fourth five-point night of Kane’s career. He has one six-point game. It was the Red Wings’ first five-point performance since Anthony Mantha registered three goals and two assists in 2019.

Kane (36 years, 113 days) is the fourth-oldest player in franchise history with a five-point game behind Brett Hull (37 years, 170 days on Jan. 26, 2002), Alex Delvecchio (37 years, 27 days on Dec. 31, 1968) and Brendan Shanahan (36 years, 324 days on Dec. 13, 2005).

Rookie Kasper proved he could play among the top six forwards when he played on the wing with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Now, his challenge is playing his natural position as center for two elite scorers.

“I’m trying to play my game,” Kasper said. “But I’m also trying to push the pace to open up room for Cat and Kaner and to go to the net.  Good things happen when you go there and obviously just try to find the open space. “

Red Wings Wish List

If Kasper can consistently perform as an effective No. 2 center at age 20, it dramatically changes the Red Wings offense. Their search for a No. 2 center as taken almost as long as their quest to return the playoffs. He could be the answer.

“I keep banging this young man’s drum because he deserves it,” McLellan said. “When Cat and Kaner play, they know each other real well. They need somebody in and around the net. “

McLellan said Kasper can provide help to Kane and DeBrincat similar to what Tomas Holmstrom delivered to Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.

“Homer would get to the net, occupy one, maybe two people, and Pav and Hank would have space,” McLellan said. “Kasp has the courage to go there and does go there, and then he’s quick enough to expand out and keep some plays alive for them. “

Kasper’s first goal went off him as he drove the net.

“It’s a prime example of how you probably have to play with the other two. And he’s figured that out,” McLellan said. “It’s a good mix.” 

Rougher Road Ahead

The Red Wings were relieved by the win, happy to break their losing streak, but their scrap to earn their first playoff berth in nine years gets harder from here. They know they should beat Buffalo, a team at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

They have 17 games left, only six at home, and every team on Detroit’s schedule has a better record than the Red Wings today.

Detroit finished the game with 77 penalty minutes, and when the game was over the team had actually fought for the win.

“It’s great seeing everyone stick together,” Kane said. “And I think obviously Buffalo’s probably a frustrated team with the way their year’s gone and the way maybe tonight went against them. So sometimes you kind of expect that stuff. But I thought we did a great job of sticking together and especially in scrums like that at the end of the game when the game’s kind of out of hand.  So great job with that. And then we needed the win. It didn’t matter how it came. Obviously it’s nice to put up seven, but we needed the win tonight. “