Patrick Kane lauds Red Wings’ early surge as they gain ground in wild‑card race

Patrick Kane praised the Red Wings’ strong start in their win over the Buffalo Sabres, helping Detroit gain ground in the Eastern Conference wild‑card race.

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March 28, 2026 12:58PM EDT

**© Sarah Stier/Getty Images**Patrick Kane #88 of the Red Wings in action during the game.

The Detroit Red Wings gained ground in the Eastern Conference wild-card race with a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Friday, with Patrick Kane highlighting the team’s strong start. John Gibson made 28 saves for Detroit, while Alex DeBrincat contributed a goal and two assists, and Moritz Seider added two assists, helping the Red Wings bounce back after two consecutive losses.

“It was a great start. I think we were really focused on the start tonight, and that obviously put us in a great position. Second period wasn’t great, obviously, but we held down the fort. ‘Gibby’ made some huge saves. He was unbelievable for us tonight… Big team win,” Kane said after the game, according to NHL.com.

Detroit’s victory moved them one point behind the New York Islanders, who have played one more game, for the second Eastern wild card. Buffalo, meanwhile, has lost three straight games for the first time since December and remains two points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Red Wings capitalize on early goals to set pace

Detroit struck early with two power-play goals in the first period. DeBrincat opened the scoring at 4:02, chipping a shot over Lyon’s pad after Seider set him up from the point. Lucas Raymond made it 2-0 at 9:11, finishing a wrist shot after a pass from Seider. Marco Kasper extended the lead to 3-0 later in the period.

The Cat strikes on the power play! pic.twitter.com/7JW2WmYwYH
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 27, 2026

Despite a stronger second period for Buffalo, including a goal by Tage Thompson, Detroit limited the damage and maintained control. The Red Wings’ disciplined approach and focus on strong starts proved crucial in keeping the Sabres at bay.

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Strong start and team focus propel Red Wings

Detroit’s early goals and disciplined play set the tone for the game, helping them stay in control despite Buffalo’s late push. Capitalizing on power-play chances and limiting mistakes in critical moments demonstrated the team’s resilience.

Coach Todd McLellan praised his team’s approach, saying, “The opposition always has a say in the game. We’ll control as many variables as we can and try to get off to a good start again.” The win shows how Detroit’s focus on strong starts and teamwork can be a difference-maker as the playoffs approach.

Alexander Rosquez

Alexander Rosquez is a bilingual sports writer, fluent in English and Spanish, who joined Bolavip in June 2024. Bringing over 15 years of media experience, Alexander has covered a wide range of sports events, including soccer, MLB, and NHL. His expertise lies in real-time coverage of competitions across various globally relevant sports leagues. Before joining Bolavip, he gained extensive experience in MLB and soccer coverage for both national and international media outlets. His discipline in sports event coverage and meticulous attention to detail make him a valuable asset to the Bolavip team.