Detroit Red Wings Clips  December 2, 2015

Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Blashill praises Brendan Smith for defending Zetterberg PAGE 3 Sabres' Eichel has seen Larkin's prowess 'for years' PAGE 4 Tweaked Red Wings lineup wants to build, keep lead PAGE 5 Red Wings survive Sabres in shootout win PAGE 8 Pals Larkin, Eichel share skills, mutual admiration PAGE 10 Blashill defends penalty killers, fourth line PAGE 12 Blashill: Focus is on Sabres, not rookie sensations PAGE 14 Red Wings postgame: Justin Abdelkader bags Gordie Howe hat trick in 5-

4 shootout win PAGE 15 Red Wings battle back in third period and beat Sabres in shootout PAGE 17 Second-period analysis: Red Wings 3, Sabres 2 PAGE 18 First-period analysis: Red Wings 2, Sabres 1 PAGE 19 Red Wings' Dylan Larkin, Sabres' Jack Eichel close friends who might

form marquee rivalry one day PAGE 21 Red Wings Gameday: Penalty killers among NHL's best after helping

produce 7-3-3 November record PAGE 23 Red Wings' lineup vs. Sabres: Petr Mrazek back in goal as Detroit looks to

build lead and preserve it PAGE 24 Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin named NHL rookie of the month PAGE 25 Detroit Red Wings need fourth line to return to being dependable

shutdown unit PAGE 27 Red Wings pick up 5-4 shootout win over Sabres PAGE 28 Bob Duff: Dylan Larkin, Jack Eichel add to NHL's American influence

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Blashill praises Brendan Smith for defending Zetterberg Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:28 a.m. EST December 2, 2015 The Detroit Red Wings faced five penalty kills in Tuesday's game -- at least one of them to their coach's delight. Brendan Smith ended up in the box when he jumped in to defend Henrik Zetterberg late in the second period of the 5-4 shoot-out victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Joe Louis Arena. Evander Kane had stuck his stick between Zetterberg's legs and tugged, infuriating Zetterberg. He went after Kane -- and so did Smith. All three ended up with penalties, and the Wings were shorthanded. "I would tell Brendan Smith get involved in that every day, all day," Jeff Blashill said. "He is going in to help Hank out, and I was really glad he jumped in there. Really glad he jumped in there and I'd tell him to do it again, for sure. And if we have to kill a penalty for it, we will kill a penalty for it. "Over the long haul of the year, we will stick up for each other all day long." The Sabres used the power play to make it 3-2. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Sabres' Eichel has seen Larkin's prowess 'for years' Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:50 a.m. EST December 2, 2015 Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel has kept an eye on his friend and former teammate and isn't the least surprised to see how Dylan Larkin has thrived. Larkin was named rookie of the month for November on the strength of seven goals and three assists in 13 games. That news greeted him as he started his Tuesday. By day's end, he was celebrating a 5-4 shoot-out victory at Joe Louis Arena. Larkin, who leads the Wings with 10 goals, had five shots on net. His success is what Eichel expected. "I've been following him," Eichel said. "He is a good friend of mine. He is having a great year. I am not surprised at all. You see how good of a shot he has and how fast he is and how he can make plays at top speed. You guys are getting used to it -- I've seen it for years." Eichel and Larkin, both 19, became friends three years ago, when they were teammates at the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor. In 2014, they won the title at the world junior championship. Last spring, they were roommates at the world championship. "It was a fun time," Larkin said. "He was better, so he pushed me to be better. It was cool to see him every day. We competed every day at the NTDP, always battling in practice. But shared a laugh off the ice, always." The Sabres drafted Eichel second overall this past summer. The Wings drafted Larkin 15th overall in 2014. Tonight marks their first meeting at the NHL level. "Should be nice," Eichel said. "Two rookies, came through similar paths at the NTDP together, played together, went to college, went to world championships together." Eichel has eight goals and 12 points after 24 games. Each player is a franchise building block. As impressive as Larkin's offensive output has been, his drive to dominate doesn't stop there. "With Dylan, as a young player, one of our responsibilities is to help him get better," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "One of those areas is away from the puck, making sure he stops on puck. He is very conscious of it. He wants to be a great all-around player. He doesn't want to cheat for offense; he wants to do it right." Given that they play in the same division, the Larkin-Eichel matchup should only grow stronger. That'd be great, says Detroit's bench boss. "What I like is, I like they are both U.S. guys," Blashill said. "I think it is great for the game in the U.S." Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Tweaked Red Wings lineup wants to build, keep lead Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:22 p.m. EST December 1, 2015 The Detroit Red Wings have shown that they can build a lead. Now they'd like to demonstrate that they can keep it. They take a seven-game point streak up against the Buffalo Sabres tonight at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, FSD). The Wings have gone past regulation four straight games and have lost two of those times -- both to division rivals. "I hope we continue to have leads late," coach Jeff Blashill said after the morning skate, adding, "can we build on those leads, so that when mistakes happen, and mistakes absolutely are going to happen, it doesn't result in the game being tied?" Petr Mrazek is in net for a second straight start, the first time Blashill has veered from flipping his goaltenders since Mrazek started two games in a row Nov. 18 and 20. It doesn't appear to be a sign that Blashill sees much separation, though, as he already has announced that Jimmy Howard will start Thursday. It is, though, the third time Mrazek has had two straight starts, while Howard has not started consecutive games since mid-October. There are a couple of other changes, as Teemu Pulkkinen and Brendan Smith return after being scratched for the last game. Pulkkinen has been on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards, but that spot now goes to Darren Helm, as he adds speed and a net-front presence to the group. Pulkkinen drops down to play with Drew Miller and Luke Glendening, but look for him to get time on power plays, too. Blashill didn't want to tinker with his other two lines, which have Henrik Zetterberg with Dylan Larkin and Justin Abdelkader, and Riley Sheahan with Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. Smith is back with Alexey Marchenko, with the other defense pairings featuring Niklas Kronwall with Mike Green and Danny DeKeyser with Jonathan Ericsson. This is the first of five meetings between the Atlantic Division neighbors. The Sabres changed coaches over the summer, hiring former Pittsburgh Penguins bench boss Dan Bylsma. The highlight of Buffalo's summer came on draft day, when it selected Jack Eichel, who has eight goals and four assists in 24 games. Note: Larkin today was named the NHL rookie of the month for November. He scored seven goals and three assists in 13 games. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Red Wings survive Sabres in shootout win Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 4:23 a.m. EST December 2, 2015 Detroit — This time, when Jeff Blashill met with the media after the game, he started the session with a query of his own. "So, a question," the Red Wings' coach said. "Was that giving up a lead this time, or coming from behind?" Well, the yielding came first. But, this time, it was merely a prelude to a comeback victory. The Wings squandered two, two-goal leads Tuesday. Then the Sabres tallied twice early in the third period to erase the Wings 3-2 lead, and go ahead. If that all sounds more than vaguely familiar, it is because it is repetitive of several games recently. But, this time, the Red Wings rebounded. "A little of both, obviously," Blashill said, answering his own question about the Wings' 5-4 defeat of the Sabres in the shootout. The Wings now have points in eight consecutive games, despite all of the generosity in yielding leads in the third period. In those eight games, all decided by one goal, they have collected 13 out of a possible 16 points. What particularly satisfied the Red Wings was not squandering the second point. "You've got to grab as many points as you can," Blashill said. "I thought our guys showed good character coming back. Our power play, we hadn't had one the whole game and then we get a chance on it and they scored. So, good for them." Justin Abdelkader scored his second of the game and seventh of the season, and the team's first power play goal in three games to tie it at 4-4, at 13:31 of the third. And Brad Richards scored the lone goal in the shootout to win the game in overtime. It was a rambunctious, see-saw affair. "Yeah, it was a wild game for sure," said Abdelkader, who had two goals, an assist and a fight, for a so-called Gordie Howe hat trick – with a bonus goal. "I thought we dominated and had some good chances there throughout the game. "Obviously, we gave up too much defensively, and a few mistakes. But nice to see the puck go in for us. And I thought the penalty kill did a great job for us in overtime — that was huge.

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"Difficult to defend a four on three." Abdelkader was talking about an absolutely critical portion of the three-on-three overtime, when a Gus Nyquist took a tripping penalty and the Sabres got an extra attacker. Having entered the game with the fourth-best penalty kill in the NHL, the Wings killers proved too much for Buffalo to penetrate. And then the Wings took it to the shootout, where Richards used some considerable speed and then took a quick wrist shot from about midway between the faceoff circles that may have surprised Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark. Evander Kane scored twice for Buffalo, his third and fourth goals of the season, and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen gathered four assists. As they often have in recent games, the Wings entered the third period with a one-goal lead, 3-2. This time, they lost the lead quickly. The Sabres scored twice in three minutes, 22 seconds. Kane scored his second goal on a power play at 53 seconds. The Red Wings were within 12 seconds of killing it, when the tally came. After a rebound off the lively end boards at Joe Louis Arena, the Wings' penalty kill unit had trouble catching up to the play, and Kane was able to convert off a rebound. Then, at 3:22, with the Wings goalie Petr Mrazek screened by two players, defenseman Zach Bogosian fired from the left faceoff circle, 35 feet away, and it went through the crowd to the back of the net. It was an unfortunate start to the third period, after the Red Wings fired 20 shots in the second and scored only once. Their inability to sustain leads is a pox on their The Wings were hot out of the gate in the first, skating with considerable speed and clicking on outlet passes and through the neutral zone. Amid dramatic cycling around Ullmark, Tomas Tatar opened the scoring from about 25 feet in the slot, with a pitchfork backhander, at 1:34. Mike Green picked up his eighth assist and ninth point in 18 games played. Gus Nyquist also assisted. It was Tatar's ninth goal of the season and 18th point, and it came on his 25th birthday. The Wings had the first five shots of the game, in the first five minutes. But it turned quickly. In the next 90 seconds, the Sabres had six. Looking sharp, Mrazek had them all under control. The Wings scored again at 10:32 when Jonathan Ericsson fired toward the net and the puck bounced of Abdlekader's upper right arm and then chest and went in. It was Abdelkader's sixth goal of the season. Danny DeKeyser also assisted.

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Later in the period, about three minutes after he made a brilliant save on Kane, Mrazek let the big forward shoot and ease one through him. At 14:40, Mrazek was prone, on his stomach, face forward. Kane let one go, and Mrazek lifted his trapper in time to deflect the puck away, after it seemed clearly destined for the back of the net. But then at 17:30, Kane broke in with Sam Reinhart to his left, he held the puck, freezing the Wings defenders and then let it rip from 30 feet. Mrazek was in position, had an unobstructed view of the puck, with his trapper in the cocked position. But the puck went right by him. As usual, afterwards, Mrazek was matter of fact. "Well, I was expecting that he was going to go high glove," he said. "I just missed that." Mrazek was perfect in the shootout. Drew Miller got his first goal of the season at 4:21 of the second period when he collected a pass from Abdelkader and ripped a wrist shot past Ullmark. Luke Glendening also assisted. "Abby got the puck behind the net, and I was trying to find a spot in the slot there and get a shot off quick," Miller said. "I've been waiting for a while for that one." The Wings second two-goal lead of the game lasted about 13 minutes, but the Sabres scored five seconds into a power play at 17:09 when Zemgus Girgensons tipped a shot from the point by Ristolainen, which came immediately after Matt Moulson won the draw for Buffalo. The power play was created when Henrik Zetterberg jousted with big Kane behind the Wings net, after Kane tripped him and then slashed at him. As the captain tempted fate by roughing a much larger, much younger man, Brendan Smith arrived from the opposite point with good speed to take Kane into his own hands and away from Zetterberg. All three got roughing penalties. His coach thought Smith was particularly effective in those moments. "I would tell Brendan Smith to get involved in that every day, all day," Blashill said. "You know, he's going in to help Hank out, and I was really glad he jumped in there; really glad he jumped in there." Detroit News LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Pals Larkin, Eichel share skills, mutual admiration Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 7:03 p.m. EST December 1, 2015 Detroit — The two 19-year-olds are among the best rookies in the game, whose bright futures may well extend long into the future and they both play for teams in the Atlantic Division. The fact that Dylan Larkin and Jack Eichel are both Americans suggests they will continue to be teammates in international tournaments, over the years, skating in red, white and blue for the United States, as they have already. And they are pals. Larkin, of Waterford Township, and Eichel of North Chelmsford, Massachusetts hung around together from 2012 to 2014 in Ann Arbor when they trained and played with the National Team Development Program of USA Hockey. On Tuesday, they were to play against each other for the first time in the NHL, as the Red Wings met the Sabres. “Really well,” Larkin said, when asked how well he knows Eichel. “We played together for two years, and then we were with each other last year at the World Junior Championships. “So, you know, yeah, real familiar with him.” A couple of months ago, Larkin, the 15th pick in the first round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, began receiving significant media and fan attention. Eichel, the second pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, started getting a lot of it a year earlier, when hockey folks across North American wondered whether he or Connor McDavid would go first in the draft. At Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday morning, as the Wings and Sabres participated in their game day morning skates and met the media, the harsh glare of publicity was all over the two “kids” and their friendship. “I think it will be a normal game,” Larkin said, with a hit of hopefulness, despite the half-circle of a dozen people around him, holding recorders, microphones or cameras. “I think it will be pretty cool to see him out there,” said the Wings’ leading goal scorer before, for the umpteenth time, providing evidence of his maturity. “And I know we have to watch him.” Like a lot of teenaged guys asked about such things, they were not exactly expansive in their responses to questions about the source of their friendship. You know, like, they played hockey and hung out. I mean, what’s the big deal, anyway? “We became friends at the NTDP the first year,” Larkin said. “Everyone on the team was pretty close with each other, and we won a world championship together (2014 IIHF World U18 Championships).

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“So, I’d say we were pretty close.” Eichel said it is exciting to play his “good friend” in the NHL, for the first time. About the friendship? Hey, it is kind of like Larkin said, they hung out. “We had a lot in common,” Eichel said. “We like to do the same things. He’s a good guy who likes to work hard at the rink and things like that. But I think it’s important when you get away from the rink to enjoy yourself and I know he’s a good guy to be around off the ice. “And it helped that we lived near each other in Ann Arbor.” The guys, who both plainly know tons about hockey, provided scouting reports, on each other. “I think his size and speed and then his hockey sense.” Larkin said. “You know, it doesn’t look like he’s skating fast and then he’ll blow by defensemen. And then he can go wide and cut to the middle, and create that lane to the net. “And you know, he’s good at finishing “And then one thing I noticed this year is his shot,” Larkin said, not to leave a detail undisclosed. “He’s just beating goalies clean. And I think it’s a deceptive shot, too. “I think we’ve got to eliminate his time and space,” said the 19-year-old, about to enter his 25th NHL game. Who is better, Larkin was asked. Without hesitation the Red Wings wunderkind said, “He’s better.” Eichel is pretty impressed by his buddy, too. “When you see how good of a shot he has and how fast he is, like he can make plays at top speed,” Eichel said, listing some attributes. “I mean, you guys are all getting used to this,” he said to a similar half-circle of media, arrayed around him. “I’ve seen it for years now, so I’m not surprised.” Like both 19-year-olds, coach Jeff Blashill said the game between the Wings and Sabres, contesting available points in the same division, far exceeds any interest in the two talented young friends, meeting in the NHL for the first time. But Blashill allowed that, especially as an American, it is good to see such strong young talent. “What I like about it, from my perspective, is the fact that they’re both U.S. guys,” Blashill said. “And I don’t say that with any disrespect to any other (country). “Ultimately, when we get to world competitions, I like cheering for the U.S. I’m a U.S. guy. I like coaching U.S. teams. I like being around that. “I like the fact they’re both U.S. guys. I think it’s great for the U.S. game, especially.” Detroit News LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Blashill defends penalty killers, fourth line Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 6:36 p.m. EST December 1, 2015 Detroit — When he faced questions from the media Tuesday after the Red Wings optional morning skate, coach Jeff Blashill clearly was keen to set some matters straight. First, Dylan Larkin’s work on the penalty kill during practice does not mean he immediately will begin a larger role when the Wings play with players in the box. And not only is he happy with his penalty killers, whom he named one by one, Blashill believes that while the fourth line has been on the ice in the third period with some frequency when leads have evaporated, it results from more than mistakes by that line. “The one thing that I think is important to make clear is that we’ve got guys on the penalty kill who have done an unbelievable job,” Blashill said. “We’re ranking fourth in the penalty kill. You only have that type of ranking if you have great penalty killers. “So, (Luke) Glendening, (Drew) Miller, (Darren) Helm and (Riley) Sheahan have been the majority of guys doing it lately, (Joakim) Andersson before that. They’re elite, elite penalty killers. “Dylan Larkin’s in the process of learning how to do that. It takes time. You’ve got to grab one of those guy’s jobs and say I can do it just as well, if not better. “But I’m really happy with the job the guys have done on the penalty kill so far.” As for the third-period breakdowns, Blashill said it is far from a one-dimensional issue involving one line. “First, I hope we continue to have leads late,” he said. “Secondly, can we build on those leads so that when a mistake does happen, and mistakes absolutely are going to happen, it doesn’t result in the game being tied? “And then three, can we eliminate some of those mistakes? Those are all areas we’re trying to get better at.” Blashill said he is not significantly frustrated by the trend. “I think we’ve got 11 of 14 points,” he said of the Wings recent record (4-0-3) before playing the Sabres on Tuesday. “So, I’m glad we’re in that spot. We constantly search here on ways to get better, and we will continue to search on ways to get better.” Colaiacovo’s scare A tracheotomy, a dire medical procedure, provides a huge clue as to where the trachea is. The discomfort and potential danger of suffering a “dented trachea,” induced by a cross-check, is unlikely lost on most hockey fans. But it certainly is not lost on Carlo Colaiacovo.

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“It was a pretty dangerous thing to happen, but I’m good and I’m back,” said the Sabres journeyman, who is with his third team since leaving the Red Wings in 2012-13 when he played 15 games, including nine in the playoffs (two assists, minus-one). Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson cross-checked the 32-year-old defenseman in the throat, inflicting quite a bit of pain. But, Colaiacovo returned to practice 48 hours later, and was slated to play Tuesday. Colaiacovo said he is excited to play for the Sabres, his fifth team after he was drafted 17th overall by his hometown Maple Leafs in 2001. “The team’s come a long way in the last couple of years, and looking on the up-and-ups,” he said. “It’s a really good group of young players mixed with veteran players, and our coaching staff has been a good compliment to this group.” Holiday cheer At the start of the holiday season, the Red Wings made their annual visit to Children’s Hospital of Michigan on Monday. “It’s always a good experience going to the hospital and trying to brighten the day for these children that are going through some tough times,” Justin Abdelkader said. “I think all the guys enjoy doing it each and every year. “You know you are making a positive impact. There’s a lot of big Red Wings fans in there.” Detroit News LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Blashill: Focus is on Sabres, not rookie sensations Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 12:41 p.m. EST December 1, 2015 Detroit — Jeff Blashill is not greatly interested in the fact that two outstanding rookies, who are also friends, will be in action when the Red Wings take on the Sabres on Tuesday night. His team has bigger concerns, including keeping its collective chin up above the wild-card race in the Eastern Conference. So, the fact Dylan Larkin (10 goals, eight assists, plus-14) and Jack Eichel (eight goals, four assists, minus-6) are buddies, beginning even in days before they spent a lot of time together through a few years in Ann Arbor at the National Team Development Program of USA Hockey, is more for the fans and the media, perhaps. “The first thing that I think, though, when I hear that is: We’ve got a big game against Buffalo,” Blashill said. A team must play. A coach must coach. “Lots of people want this to be Eichel versus Larkin, but it’s not,” he said. “It’s the Detroit Red Wings versus the Buffalo Sabres and, to me, that’s what’s the most important thing.” The Wings enter the contest after a string of narrowly contested games, including several blown leads in third periods and a drought — of an intensity that might impress farmers in California — in timely scoring. At 12-8-4, they are in third place in the Atlantic Division entering play Tuesday. And they are still scoring fewer goals than allowing, 56-60, for the season. That said, the Red Wings have points in seven consecutive games (4-0-3). The Sabres (10-12-2) arrive having defeated the Predators, 4-1, on Saturday. They are 2-4-2 since Nov. 12, and coach Dan Bylsma, a native of Grand Haven, is presiding over a team performing perhaps a bit better than expected, after some difficult seasons. Buffalo sits in seventh place in the Atlantic Division, five points out of the second wild-card spot. “We think we’ve got lots of other really good players in the room that are going to have to be great tonight, and I’m sure they do as well,” Blashill said, emphasizing the importance of the game over the presence of two up-and-coming stars. Petr Mrazek will start in net for the Wings, and Brendan Smith moves in on defense for Jakub Kindl, while Teemu Pulkkinen returns to the lineup, after Tomas Jurco played one game. Larkin earns rookie honor Larkin was named the NHL’s rookie of the month on Tuesday, after leading all first-year players with seven goals in November. He had 10 points in 13 games.

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He leads all rookies with 10 goals and a plus-14 rating. Detroit News LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Red Wings postgame: Justin Abdelkader bags Gordie Howe hat trick in 5-4 shootout win Print Email Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 11:19 PM, updated December 02, 2015 at 3:14 AM DETROIT – If you missed the Detroit Red Wings' 5-4 shootout win against the Buffalo Sabres, we've got you covered. Here's a quick snapshot: THREE STARS 1. Justin Abdelkader – The Red Wings veteran forward did a little bit of everything. He scored two goals, assisted on another and completed the Gordie Howe hat trick with a fight against Buffalo's Josh Gorges. Abdelkader's second goal with 6:29 left in regulation forced overtime. 2. Rasmus Ristolainen – The Sabres forward assisted on three of the four Buffalo goals and was one of only two players on his team with a plus rating. 3. Drew Miller – In addition to scoring his first goal of the season to give the Red Wings a 3-1 lead in the second period, Miller also helped Detroit kill a big penalty in overtime to keep the score tied 4-4 and force the shootout. BY THE NUMBERS 1 – Number of shootouts the Red Wings have participated in this season after beating the Sabres. 2 – Goals by Buffalo's Evander Kane, who scored twice after getting two goals in his first 14 games this season. 4 – Hits by Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who led both teams in that department. 5 – Consecutive games in which the Red Wings have both blown a third-period lead and reached overtime. 8 – Consecutive games in which the Red Wings have earned at least one point. They have a 5-0-3 record in that stretch. 12 – Faceoffs won by Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk in 19 chances. 46 – Number of shots by the Red Wings, the most they've had in 25 games this season. 100 – Miller's points in seven seasons with the Red Wings after scoring vs. Buffalo. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Red Wings battle back in third period and beat Sabres in shootout Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 10:32 PM, updated December 02, 2015 at 1:08 AM DETROIT – Another blown lead by the Detroit Red Wings was mitigated by a spirited comeback that resulted in a two-point night. Despite squandering a third-period lead for the fifth game in a row and the sixth time in their past eight games Tuesday, the Red Wings battled back for a 5-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Joe Louis Arena thanks to Brad Richards' goal in the team's first shootout this season. "Before we start, is that blowing a lead or coming from behind to win?" Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "A little bit of both, obviously. I thought we did a lot of really good stuff. In the second period we had chances to make it 4-1, maybe make it 4-2 once they scored and unfortunately we didn't. In the end we scored four goals. That should be enough." The Red Wings (13-8-4) have gained at least one point in eight consecutive games (5-0-3). "That was a wild game for sure," Detroit's Justin Abdelkader said. "I thought we dominated and had some good chances there throughout the game. Obviously, we gave a little too much defensively and a few mistakes but nice to see the puck go in for us." Abdelkader was the catalyst, scoring two goals, picking up an assist and getting into a fight. He was the first Red Wings to record a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" since, of all people, Pavel Datsyuk on Oct. 8, 2010. Richards' goal against Linus Ullmark was the lone score in the shootout, coming in the third round. Jack Eichel shot wide against Petr Mrazek on the final attempt. The Red Wings outshot the Sabres 46-32; their previous season high for shots was 37. "I thought it was a big character period to come back for our team and fight through adversity and put it into the shootout and get it," Detroit's Drew Miller said. "So that's huge for us. I mean, we've kind of gave a way a couple games here in the past, so to get that one back and to win is big for our team." The Sabres erased a 3-1 deficit with three goals in a span of 6:13 late in the second period and early in the third. Two of them came on the power play against a team that was ranked fourth in the NHL on the penalty kill entering the game. But Abdelkader scored his second goal of the game, on the power play, to tie it 4-4 at 13:31 of the third. The Red Wings had a huge kill during overtime Gustav Nyquist was called for tripping. Miller, Luke Glendening and Jonathan Ericsson were on the ice for almost the entire power play.

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"You obviously don't want to take a penalty like that," Nyquist said. "I stuck my leg out of position, being stuck against a forward one-on-one, but can't take a penalty there. PKers did a tremendous job blocking shots and they've been doing that for us all year and that won us the game today." Evander Kane scored his second goal of the game, on the power play, 53 seconds into the third by banging in his own rebound past Mrazek. Zach Bogosian put Buffalo ahead 4-3 at 3:22, firing a shot that went between the skates of Ericsson and Jamie McGinn. The Red Wings are 12-0-1 in their past 13 against the Sabres, their only blemish during that stretch a 3-2 shootout loss last season in Buffalo. The Red Wings are 31-5-5-2 (W-L-T-OTL) in their past 43 vs. the Sabres. At home, Detroit has won eight in a row and is 16-0-1 in its past 17 against the Sabres, whose most recent regulation win at the Joe was on March 6, 1994. The Sabres are 10-12-3 in their first season under coach Dan Bylsma, the Grand Haven native who formerly coached the Pittsburgh Penguins. The teams traded goals in the second period and the Red Wings emerged with a 3-2 edge. Miller notched his first goal of the season at 4:21. He received Abdelkader's pass from behind the net and fired a shot over Ullmark's left shoulder into the top corner of the net. It ended his 31-game goal-scoring drought dating back to March 29. Zemgus Girgensons scored just five seconds into a power play at 17:09, deflecting in a shot by Rasmus Ristolainen. The Red Wings led 2-1 after the first period. Tomas Tatar opened the scoring with his ninth goal of the season at 1:34. He took a pass from Mike Green and whipped in a hard backhand shot from the slot. Abdelkader made it 2-0 at 10:32 while parked in front of the net. Ericsson's fluttering point shot hit Abdelkader's right shoulder and left arm before bouncing past Ullmark. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Second-period analysis: Red Wings 3, Sabres 2 Print Email Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 9:24 PM DETROIT – The middle period featured a little bit of everything and Justin Abdelkader left the ice with a Gordie Howe hat trick. After scoring in the first period, Abdelkader assisted on a goal by Drew Miller – that was his first of the season – before getting into a fight with Josh Gorges in the final minute of the second. Miller gave Detroit a 3-1 lead at 4:21 before Buffalo's Zemgus Girgensons pulled the Sabres within a goal again with 2:51 left after he deflected a shot by Rasmus Ristolainen. It was another wide-open period as the Red Wings had 20 shots on goal to nine for Buffalo, giving Detroit a 33-25 edge heading to the third, when the Sabres will start with 1:05 of power-play after Abdelkader picked up a hooking minor before his fight. There was also a skirmish in the corner between Buffalo's Evander Kane and Red Wings' captain Henrik Zetterberg. Before Kane could engage Zetterberg in a potential fight, Brendan Smith jumped in and all three went off for roughing at 17:04. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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First-period analysis: Red Wings 2, Sabres 1 Print Email Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 8:22 PM, updated December 01, 2015 at 9:45 PM DETROIT – That period was the definition of "wide open" as the teams combined for 29 shots, 16 of them by Buffalo. The Red Wings scored the game's first two goals. Tomas Tatar opened the scoring on the first shot of the game, beating rookie Linus Ullmark with a backhand from the high slot at 1:34 before Jonathan Ericsson's slap shot from the point went off Justin Abdelkader's body and past Ullmark at 10:32. Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek stopped the first 15 shots he faced before Evander Kane beat him with No. 16. It was a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle. In the rookie showdown between Detroit's Dylan Larkin and Buffalo's Jack Eichel, there really in't much to report. Eichel had one shot and Larkin had three to go with one hit. There were no penalties in the first period. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Red Wings' Dylan Larkin, Sabres' Jack Eichel close friends who might form marquee rivalry one day Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 4:01 PM, updated December 01, 2015 at 4:07 PM DETROIT – Dylan Larkin and Jack Eichel were teammates on the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor as 16-year-year-olds three years ago and roommates at the World Championship last year. Now they're high-end NHL rookies in the same division who will be competing against each other for years in what could become one of the game's marquee individual rivalries one day. "Two rookies that came from similar paths, at the NTDP together, went to college, went to the World Championships together, good friends," Eichel said. "It's a cool thing," Larkin said. Larkin and Eichel were poised to play against each other for the first time Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena. And while both 19-year-olds, their teammates and their coaches were quick to remind all that it's the Detroit Red Wings vs. the Buffalo Sabres, not Larkin vs. Eichel, many were looking forward to this competition within the game. "What I like about it from my perspective is I like the fact that they're both U.S. guys," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I don't say that with any disrespect to any other country, but ultimately when we get to world competitions I like cheering for the U.S. I'm a U.S. guy, I like coaching U.S. teams, I like being around that. I think it's great for the game in the U.S. especially." Eichel had greater expectations and was under a bigger spotlight coming into the season as the No. 2 pick in last June's draft, behind Connor McDavid, who went to Edmonton. Larkin was the 15th pick in 2014, one whose stock soared since draft day, but a player many expected would start the season with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. "It's been pretty crazy here, but we've got great leadership and they've done a great job of keeping me grounded and being able to play hockey," Larkin said. "I know he's had (the spotlight) since he was 16, he's had cameras all around him at every tournament we went to. For me, it's my first year having that. So I know he handles it pretty well." Eichel is off to a decent start. He's tied for the team lead with eight goals and is seventh among NHL rookies with 12 points. Red Wings' Dylan Larkin on rivalry, friendship with Sabres' Jack Eichel Red Wings' Dylan Larkin on rivalry, friendship with Sabres' Jack Eichel Larkin is flourishing, leading all rookies with 10 goals and a plus-14 rating and third in scoring with 18 points. He was named NHL rookie of the month for November.

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"He's having a great year," Eichel said. "You see how good of a shot he has and how fast he is, how he can make plays at top speed. You guys will all get used to this. I've seen it for years now, so I'm not surprised." Eichel said Larkin's skating was the first thing that caught his eye when he saw him play at age 17. "He was a fast, powerful skater," Eichel said. "He skates around guys with ease, that's what stands out to me." Similarly, Larkin praised Eichel for his combination of size, speed and hockey sense. "It doesn't look like he's skating fast but you'll see him blow by defensemen and then he can go wide and cut to the middle and create that lane to the net," Larkin said. "He's good at finishing. One thing I noticed this year is his shot. He scored a lot of goals just beating goalies clean. It's a deceptive shot, too." Larkin, from Waterford, had heard how good the Boston native Eichel was while growing up. "He always played (a year ahead) so I never got the chance to play against him as a kid," Larkin said. "It's pretty cool just being friends with him now and we competed every day at the NTDP, we always battled in practice. He was better so he pushed me to be better "But we shared a laugh off the ice together always and hung out. To be at the highest level in our first year together, it's pretty cool." Said Eichel: "Whether it was practice or games or whatever, you always want to be the best player on the ice, so I think it was a good competition between the two of us." Somebody asked Larkin who's better now. "He's better," Larkin said. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Red Wings Gameday: Penalty killers among NHL's best after helping produce 7-3-3 November record Print Email Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 3:03 PM, updated December 01, 2015 at 3:26 PM GAME INFORMATION • Who: Detroit Red Wings (12-8-4) vs. Buffalo Sabres (10-12-2) • Where: Joe Louis Arena • When: 7:30 p.m. • TV: Fox Sports Detroit • Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM, 1270 WXYT-AM and Red Wings radio network • Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. • Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage • Live coverage: Join our live updates at 6:30 p.m. GAME NOTES • The Red Wings had a 7-3-3 record in November and the penalty killers were one of the big reasons for that success. The Red Wings successfully killed 35 of 40 power plays – that's an 87.5-percent success rate – and they didn't allow a power-play goal in eight games. They allowed one power-play goal in each of the other five games. Add it all up and it's no wonder the Red Wings penalty killers are the fourth-best in the NHL with an 85.0 success rate. • Detroit's record in November might have been even better had it not been for an anemic power play. The Red Wings failed to score a power-play goal in nine of their 13 games last month, they never had more than one in any game and finished November 4-for-37 with a manpower advantage after going 0-for-9 in the past three games. That's a success rate of 10.8 percent. For the season, the Red Wings' power play is scoring 15.8 percent of the time to rank 26th in the NHL. • The Red Wings have dominated the Sabres in the past four seasons, posting an 11-0-1 record dating back to the 2009-10 season. The lone blemish during that 12-game span was a 3-2 shootout loss last November in Buffalo. The Sabres haven't beaten the Red Wings in regulation since Oct. 13, 2009, when Valtteri Filppula and Tomas Holmstrom scored for Detroit in a 6-2 loss in Buffalo. Jimmy Howard relieved Chris Osgood in goal after the Sabres scored four times in a span of 6½ minutes of the second period to take a 5-1 lead. • The Red Wings have earned at least one point in seven straight games but their 4-0-3 record in that stretch would be even better if they hadn't blown a third-period lead five times, including in each of the last four games. The Red Wings are 5-4 in overtime

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games this season but have yet to reach a shootout. They've blown a total of seven third-period leads this season. • Sabres goaltender Chad Johnson enjoyed a stellar November, posting a 4-1-1 record, 1.12 goals-against average and .954 save percentage. ... Former Red Wings defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo accompanied the Sabres to Detroit and practiced Monday after being hospitalized for a dented trachea suffered in Saturday's 4-1 victory over Nashville. ... Buffalo's power play is eighth in the NHL with a 21.3 success rate. The Sabres penalty killers are 26th in the league at 75.4 percent but they've successfully killed 11 of the last 13 power plays. ... The Sabres are 1-2 in overtime and 1-0 in the shootout. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Red Wings' lineup vs. Sabres: Petr Mrazek back in goal as Detroit looks to build lead and preserve it Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 1:03 PM, updated December 01, 2015 at 1:18 PM DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings hope the end their recent trend of blowing third-period leads tonight against the Buffalo Sabres at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit). Of course, they hope they continuing playing well enough to hold the lead in the third period. "One, I hope we continue to have leads late. Two, can we build on those leads so that when a mistake does happen – and mistakes absolutely are going to happen – it doesn't result in the game being tied?" Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "And then three, can we eliminate some of those mistakes? The first one we want to maintain and the other two we're trying to get better at." The Red Wings have squandered a third-period lead in their past four games, all of which have been decided in overtime (Detroit is 2-2). Going back further, the Red Wings have lost third-period leads in five of their past seven games and seven of their 24 games overall. Here are the Red Wings' anticipated lines: Dylan Larkin-Henrik Zetterberg-Justin Abdelkader Brad Richards-Pavel Datsyuk-Darren Helm Gustav Nyquist-Riley Sheahan-Tomas Tatar Drew Miller-Luke Glendening-Teemu Pulkkinen Tomas Jurco and Joakim Andersson are healthy scratches. On defense: Niklas Kronwall-Mike Green Danny DeKeyser-Jonathan Ericsson Brendan Smith-Alexey Marchenko Jakub Kindl is a healthy scratch In goal: Petr Mrazek (starting) Jimmy Howard Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin named NHL rookie of the month Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 12:15 PM, updated December 01, 2015 at 12:28 PM DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin was named NHL rookie of the month for November after leading all rookies with seven goals in 13 games. Larkin also had three assists during the month. Overall, he leads rookies with 10 goals and a plus-14 rating. He also is tied for the NHL lead with 10 even-strength goals. Larkin edged Chicago Blackhawks left wing Artemi Panarin (five goals, eight assists in 13 games), New York Rangers center Oscar Lindberg (four goals, five assists in 14 games), Arizona Coyotes left wing Max Domi (three goals, six assists in 12 games), Calgary Flames center Sam Bennett (four goals, four assists in 12 games) and Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (four goals, four assists in 13 games) for the honor. Larkin has six goals in his past seven games heading into tonight's contest against the Buffalo Sabres at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit), his first matchup against Eichel, his friend and former U.S. Development Team teammate. Larkin's month including a four-game goal-scoring streak, the longest for a Red Wings teenager since Steve Yzerman had a pair of four-game goal-scoring streaks in 1984-85. Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Detroit Red Wings need fourth line to return to being dependable shutdown unit Print Email Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com on December 01, 2015 at 6:04 AM, updated December 01, 2015 at 9:28 AM DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings' fourth line can be a dependable shut-down unit, as it showed last season, especially during the playoffs against Tampa Bay. It hasn't been nearly as strong defensively of late, particularly in the third period. The Red Wings have failed to protect a third-period lead in each of their past four games. At least one player from the fourth line has been on the ice for the opposition's tying goal in the past three games. "They'd be the first to tell you they want to be the line that's trusted at the end of games, that goes out and shuts the door," coach Jeff Blashill said. "It hasn't necessarily been their fault every single time, but it's been too many times they've been on the ice and they got scored on late. "They certainly want that reserved. When they get more opportunities they got to make sure they don't give up any goals." Blashill is keeping intact two-thirds of the fourth line (Luke Glendening, Drew Miller) for Tuesday's game against the Buffalo Sabres at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit). The offensive-minded Teemu Pulkkinen, scratched the previous game, replaces Darren Helm on the unit. Helm was moved into Pulkkinen's former spot with Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards. "It's been frustrating," Glendening said. "I think it's been my line the last four games or five games here, so we have to find a way to hold on. "Maybe we're taking our foot off the gas a bit, I don't know. I don't think it's a work-ethic thing or anything like that. But we have to capitalize on our chances and minimize theirs." As a team, the Red Wings have blown third-period leads seven times in 24 games. They came back to win four of them in overtime. "I don't think you can really put your finger on one thing," Miller said. "The goal (Sunday vs. Florida), it hits off (Reilly Smith's) leg and goes in. It's an unfortunate bounce. We're getting leads and playing pretty well for most of the game, but we're not closing it out." The fourth line has accounted for only one goal (by Glendening), but the team can accept the lack of offense if the unit doesn't get scored on. Miller and Glendening are the top two penalty-killing forwards for a team that is fourth in the league (85 percent). "I think we've been doing a better job of playing in the other team's zone, but when we're giving up chances they're obviously putting them in, so we have to find a way to minimize that," Glendening said.

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"A couple minuses here the last couple of games, those happen," Miller said. "I don't think it's because of our play. I think our line has been playing pretty well and generating chances. For some reason it's just tough to score goals right now." Michigan Live LOADED: 12.02.2015

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Red Wings pick up 5-4 shootout win over Sabres By LARRY LAGE, AP Hockey Writer POSTED: 12/01/15, 10:47 PM EST | UPDATED: 15 SECS AGO # COMMENTS DETROIT >> Brad Richards scored on Detroit’s third attempt in a shootout and Jack Eichel missed the net on the ensuing chance, allowing the Red Wings to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 on Tuesday night. Justin Abdelkader’s second goal with 6:29 to go in regulation pulled the Red Wings into a 4-all tie after they blew a pair of two-goal leads and a one-goal advantage in the third. Evander Kane had his second goal in the opening minute of the third and Zach Bogosian had a go-ahead score 1:29 later for the Sabres. The Red Wings gave up a game-tying score in the third period for the fifth straight game, then needed Abdelkader’s second goal to avoid losing in regulation. Linus Ullmark made 42 saves for the Sabres. Detroit’s Petr Mrazek stopped 28 shots. Both goaltenders stopped the first two shots each team had in the shootout before Richards scored and Eichel didn’t force Mrazek to stop his shot. Buffalo had a 4-on-3 power play midway through the five-minute overtime after Gustav Nyquist was called for tripping. Kane was inches away from taking advantage, but his shot hit the left post. The Red Wings have an eight-game point streak, their longest since going 12 straight games with a point in 2010. Buffalo hasn’t won in Detroit since 2006. The game featured two of the NHL’s top rookies, Eichel and Detroit’s Dylan Larkin. They were teammates for USA Hockey’s national team development program during from 2012 to 2014. Detroit dominated early, scoring on Tomas Tatar’s backhander 1:34 into the game, and outshooting Buffalo 5-0. The Sabres responded with a flurry of shots, but Mrazek made six saves in about a minute to keep the Red Wings ahead. The Red Wings went ahead 2-0 midway through the first when Jonathan Ericsson’s fluttering shot appeared to go off Abdelkader’s right shoulder and left arm and over Ullmark. Kane scored his first of two goals — matching the number he had in his first 14 games this season — late in the first period. Drew Miller’s first goal of the year early in the second restored Detroit’s two-goal lead. Buffalo’s Zemgus Girgensons cut the deficit to a goal late in the second. NOTES: Tatar had five goals and three assists in the previous nine games. ... Buffalo scratched D Mike Weber, who has missed 11 straight games with a knee injury. ... Abdelkader and Josh Gorges dropped their gloves and fought late in the second period.

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Bob Duff: Dylan Larkin, Jack Eichel add to NHL's American influence By Bob Duff / Windsor Star

Dylan Larkin remembers the first time he viewed Jack Eichel on the ice in the flesh.

Like everyone, he’d heard all the talk and wanted to see if Eichel was indeed the real deal.

It took Larkin all of about 10 seconds to decide that yeah, the kid was good.

“There was a lot of hype obviously and I was like, ‘All right, let’s see,’” Larkin recalled of their first game together as teammates with USA Hockey’s national team development program.

“First shift he scored. Then they dropped the puck and he went down and scored again.

“I think he ended up having three or four goals that night.”

Tuesday, they met for the first time as NHL opponents. Both were held off the scoresheet as Larkin’s Detroit Red Wings downed Eichel’s Buffalo Sabres 5-4 in a shootout at Joe Louis Arena.

With the NHL schedule just past the quarter pole, it’s safe to say that both of these hockey thoroughbreds are for real.

Larkin, 19, leads the Red Wings with 10 goals and is second on the team with 18 points. Eichel, 19, shares Buffalo’s goal-scoring lead with eight and stands third overall in scoring with 12 points.

Of the two, Larkin might be considered the less likely success story, having gone 15th overall in the 2014 NHL entry draft as opposed to Eichel being selected with the second choice last spring. If you are of that belief, Eichel believes it’s only because you haven’t been paying attention.

“He’s having a great year,” said Eichel, who missed on Buffalo’s final shootout attempt. “I’m not surprised at all. You see how good of a shot he has and how fast he is, how he can make plays at top speed.

“You guys will all get used to this. I’ve seen it for years now, so I’m not surprised.”

According to Detroit coach Jeff Blashill, it’s important where these two dynamic teen sensations come from.

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“What I like about it from my perspective is I like the fact that they’re both U.S. guys,” Blashill said. “I don’t say that with any disrespect to any other country, but ultimately when we get to world competitions, I like cheering for the U.S.

“I’m a U.S. guy. I like coaching U.S. teams, I like being around that. I like that they’re both U.S. guys.

“I think it’s great for the game in the U.S. especially.”

If you hadn’t heard, this season is the first in NHL history when Canadians do not make up at least 50 per cent of the league’s player population.

Only 49.7 per cent of NHLers this season are from the Great White North and three NHL teams – the Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils – suit up more American than Canadian players. American-born players have held steady over the past few years around 25 per cent.

Eichel and Larkin are just two among a bevvy of young U.S. stars entering the league the past few seasons. Noah Hanifin, fifth overall choice in 2015, is playing defence for the Carolina Hurricanes at 18.

In 2013, Seth Jones, son of former Toronto Raptor Popeye Jones, went fourth overall to Nashville, where he’s become a steady presence on what is the NHL’s deepest blue-line corps. The 2012 draft sent Alex Galchenyuk to Montreal and Jacob Trouba to Winnipeg.

Another American, forward Auston Matthews, will go first overall in the 2016 draft.

“It’s nice, a lot of good USA hockey players coming up, a lot of young guys,” Eichel said. “Good to see USA Hockey’s going the right way.”

Good for the U.S., but as far as Canada is concerned; perhaps Charlie Brown said it best.

Good grief.