Red Wings slip past Sabres for 4-3 win

The Detroit Red Wings are averaging 2.5 goals per game and are scoring on 18.3 percent of their power plays.

Tlusty took Cammalleri’s spot at top-line left wing and registered three shots on net.

The Devils try to continue their climb in the standings and sweep the three-game season series from the visiting Red Wings on Monday night.

Goalie Petr Mrazek also made a breakaway save on Buffalo’s Zach Bogosian with less than two minutes left to preserve the Red Wings’ lead.

Detroit coach Jeff Blashill shuffled his lines before the Dallas game and said he expects to use the same combinations against New Jersey.

From a flashy glove save on Evander Kane to several scrums in the crease, Mrazek was busy with 32 saves. He didn’t even get to show off his explosive speed and agility, arguably the best part about his game.

“We’ve got to play with the same energy, the same way we played, that urgency that we had”, goaltender Cory Schneider said. Mike Green and Tomas Tatar assisted on the power play goal.

Rookie Jack Eichel scored twice and Sam Reinhart also scored for the Sabres, who have lost four in a row.

The Wings saw 2-0 and 3-1 leads erased before beating the Sabres, 5-4, in a shootout on December 1. After a collision by two Detroit defenseman, Eichel raced in alone and his shot hit the right post and then deflected off Mrazek’s left leg and into the net.

“It’s a tough one to swallow”, Eichel said.

Eichel’s first goal, on a power play, cut the Wings’ lead to 2-1 with 5:49 left.

The Devils took over the wild card lead in the Eastern Conference and improved to 4-1-0 in their past five games, reaching the 20-win plateau 12 games quicker than a year ago. Richards scored on a pass from Sheahan to finish off a 2-on-1.

The Wings were outshot, 10-3, before Richards opened the scoring at 12:01 of the first period. Cammalleri has 14 goals and 21 assists so far this season with New Jersey. “So when you see that, you know the guy’s going to come out of it if he can just persevere through”.

After a quiet start to the second period, Gionta navigated around the check of Green to test Mrazek. Defensively, the Detroit Red Wings are allowing 2.7 goals per game and are killing 79.1 percent of their power play chances.

“As frustrating as it is right now… we’ve got to find a way to get ourselves out of this little funk, get an ugly win and just get back on track”, Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges said. “There were some key moments and some big saves, and it makes it easier for us to play defense”.

And the rookie star tied it on a breakaway.

Zetterberg drifted into the slot to slap a big rebound past Johnson 2:27 into the third to restore Detroit’s lead.