Todd McLellan on failing to protect a 4-1 lead in a 5-4 loss against Buffalo.
Todd McLellan on failing to protect a 4-1 lead in a 5-4 loss against Buffalo.
Detroit — The Red Wings earned a point in the standings Saturday night but they should have had two.
The Wings blew a three-goal, second-period lead and watched Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson score the winner at 1 minute, 5 seconds of overtime, the Sabres rallying for a 5-4 victory.
The Wings led 4-1 halfway through the second period, but a series of misplays enabled Buffalo to creep into the game and steal a victory the Wings felt they should have had.
“All the way back in Traverse City (training camp), and a lot of you were there, we started talking about game management and learning how to play certain situations,” coach Todd McLellan said. “Clearly we haven’t learned that yet.”
Buffalo’s Tage Thompson shoved Alex DeBrincat away from the puck and backhanded a pass to Samuelsson in the slot, Samuelsson’s third goal of the season, the winning goal.
Ryan McLeod’s shorthanded breakaway goal at 9:28 tied the score 4-4.
Thompson drove down the ice, got around the Wings’ defense, and tucked his eighth goal behind goaltender John Gibson at 4:25, slicing the Wings’ lead to 4-3. Thompson’s goal confounded McLellan, who watched as 6-foot-6 defenseman Simon Edvinsson, with the 6-foot-6 Thompson driving to the net, let the 5-foot-7 DeBrincat take Thompson defensively.
“Simon lets Cat take their 50-goal scorer instead of him coming into the play,” McLellan said. “I don’t know what happens sometimes but those are all game management situations. But until we value it and figure it out, I’ll be talking about this again.”
BOX SCORE: Sabres 5, Red Wings 4, OT
Edvinsson, incidentally missed most of the third period with what looked like a third-period injury. But McLellan said Edvinsson was “fine,” with the Wings playing a game Sunday in New York against the Rangers.
The Wings continue to let late leads slip away, but actually going back to last season, and it’s an issue they can’t easily correct.
“It seems to be a struggle for us,” said forward Patrick Kane, of the Wings inability to put teams away. “That should be the best time to play hockey. You just shut it down and do your job defensively and try to give them nothing and you’ll get chances the other way.”
The Wings (10-7-1) had a late power play at 17:27 of the third period after Buffalo (6-8-4) was called for too many men on the ice but failed to capitalize.
“Our power play late (in the game) was upside down again,” McLellan said. “We’re looking for plays and we have to get back to that. (Allowing) a shorty when the momentum is starting to swing their way is a Bermuda Triangle death trap if you want to call it that.
“Not very productive.”
DeBrincat scored two goals (one on a power play) and Kane and Dylan Larkin scored the Wings’ goals. Raymond had three assists.
“Not good enough in the third (period),” Raymond said. “Tonight was self-inflicted (errors) for sure. We gave up chances you’re not supposed to do with a two-goal lead.”
The Wings scored three goals in a span of 4:58 in the second period, turning a 1-1 tie into a 4-1 Wings lead.
DeBrincat began the surge with his first goal of the game, at 3:52, putting in his own rebound after Raymond dove to get DeBrincat the puck in the slot. Larkin extended the lead to 3-1 with his 11th goal, at 5:56, with the team skating four players each. Larkin got open in the slot and converted a nice give-and-go with Raymond.
DeBrincat made it 4-1 with his eighth goal, on the power play, at 8:50. DeBrincat’s centering pass bounced off Samuelsson’s skate and past goaltender Colten Ellis.
But the Sabres cut the lead to 4-2 on Josh Doan’s goal at 17:58, Doan’s fifth goal, deflecting a shot from Rasmus Dahlin from the high slot. The Sabres instantly became energized and momentum swung their way.
“It can happen in this game, you give up a goal and it’s 4-2 and suddenly you give them life,” Kane said.
McLellan didn’t sense the Wings were losing control of the game until the Sabres’ second goal. The Wings iced a puck as Marco Kasper and Emmitt Finnie couldn’t connect on a pass, the Sabres won the draw and worked a play for Doan’s goal.
“Now you could feel the momentum (going Buffalo’s way), but not prior,” McLellan said.
tkulfan@detroitnews.com
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