RECAP: Red Wings drop both preseason split-squad games, fall 5-1 to visiting Penguins and 4-3 in overtime at Sabres

Playing a split-squad night of preseason hockey, the Detroit Red Wings saw their veteran-heavy lineup fall to the Pittsburg Penguins, 5-1, at Little Caesars Arena and their prospect-heavy lineup come up short against the Buffalo Sabres, 4-3, in overtime at KeyBank Center on Monday.

IN DETROIT

The Red Wings were unable to convert on their three power-play opportunities in the first period, while the Penguins capitalized on their lone man-advantage chance of the frame when Drew O’Connor scored backdoor to make it 1-0 at 17:35.

After Lars Eller made it 2-0 for Pittsburgh at 4:54 of the second period with a short-handed goal, Lucas Raymond’s power-play tally at 9:31 got Detroit within 2-1. Raymond finished a cross-ice pass from captain Dylan Larkin, who was set up by Patrick Kane.

The Red Wings finished 1-for-6 on the power play against the Penguins.

“Obviously our power play was struggling,” Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said. “It needs its reps. Their penalty kill played with a little more pace than our power play.”

Noel Acciari put the Penguins back in front by a pair just 41 seconds into the third period, sending the puck in top shelf to extend it 3-1. He lit the lamp again at 10:33, cleaning up a rebound to make it 4-1.

Vasily Ponomarev scored an empty-net goal at 18:11 for the 5-1 final.

Red Wings netminder Cam Tablot made nine saves on 11 shots through two periods before Sebastian Cossa replaced him at the start of the third. Cossa had eight saves on 10 shots.

In net for Pittsburgh, Alex Nedeljkovic made two saves before leaving at 13:04 of the first period with a lower-body injury. Joel Blomqvist turned aside 20 of 21 shots in relief.

"Some good moments, some bad moments," Raymond said. "Obviously not the result we wanted, but couple things to clean up and improve on."

IN BUFFALO

Getting Detroit on the board early in the first period, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard buried a feed from Joe Snively on a 2-on-1 rush make it 1-0 at 1:15. Antti Tuomisto earned the secondary assist on Brandsegg-Nygard’s first preseason goal.

"It was a really nice feeling to just get that first goal," Brandsegg-Nygard said. "It was the first shift too, so that was a good way to start there."

Selected No. 15 overall by Detroit in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Brandsegg-Nygard said he's enjoying his first NHL Training Camp.

"It's really competitive," Brandsegg-Nygard said. "We play hard and practice hard, but we're still good friends off the ice. I think we have a really good group."

The Sabres answered back just 4:14 later when Graham Slaggert went short side to beat Detroit goalie Alex Lyon, who started and stopped 20 of 22 shots through two periods, tying it 1-1.

Then at 19:06, Viktor Neuchev’s backhand in close gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead.

Using his speed, Elmer Soderblom won a race to a loose puck just past the Sabres’ blue line, skated in and scored a short-handed goal to tie it 2-2 at 2:05 of the third period.

The Red Wings regained the lead at 8:07 on a goal by William Lagesson, whose wrister from the slot made it 3-2.

But just over five minutes later, at 13:57, Slaggert scored a short-handed goal on Jack Campbell (20 saves on 22 shots) to tie it 3-3.

The game went to overtime, with Konsta Helenius finding the back of the net on a power play at 4:47 for the 4-3 final.

"A lot of different emotions throughout the game," Soderblom said. "We started pretty messy, but then we got into the game. Obviously the first time a lot of us played together. There's still a lot to improve, but still some good things to take with us. It's tough to lose."

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will visit the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night.