Detroit forwards Andrew Copp and Mason Appleton show preview of third line, helping lead the Red Wings to a decisive 5-2 win over the Sabres in their second preseason game.

The Red Wings closed out their second preseason game in dominant fashion, scoring three unanswered goals and outshooting the Sabres 40-18 in a 5-2 win over Buffalo. They now hit the road for their next two exhibition matchups against the Pittsburgh Penguins and a rematch with the Sabres.

Red Wings Improve To 2-0 In Pre-Season Play With Dominating Win Over Sabres While it may have only been the second pre-season game, the Detroit Red Wings played as if they were in mid-season form took control over the Buffalo Sabres at Little Caesars Arena, handily winning not only on the scoreboard but on the shot counter. 

We highlighted stellar performances during the Red Wings preseason opener on Tueaday with Emmitt Finnie and his prospect heavy line with Nate Danielson and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard standing out as a force to be reckoned with. This time however, the lineup was more veteran-focussed with first looks at lines that will hopefully be kept together for the regular season. The trio of Michael Rasmussen, Mason Appleton and Andrew Copp is one that fans have been waiting to see after they were paired up during training camp. 

Detroit’s New 3rd Line?

Copp and Appleton made their presence known right out of the gate. Copp pressured a Sabres defender behind the net and quickly stripped the puck in an unexpected steal. He wasted no time, sliding the puck into the slot past Buffalo goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, where Appleton finished the play with a quick shot to open the scoring and give Detroit an early lead. If this sequence is any indication, this line's forechecking could be a major strength throughout the upcoming season.

Mason Appleton tallies one short-handed! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/xDtr4c5JvQ

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 25, 2025

Copp later added a goal of his own in highlight-reel fashion. After Lucas Raymond made a strong move in tight, his shot was knocked away and deflected off Georgiev’s stick. The puck popped into the air, and Copp timed it perfectly, batting it in with his stick just under the crossbar for Detroit’s fifth and final goal of the game.

Appleton nearly scored again while on the penalty kill, working alongside Albert Johansson. The pair turned defense into offense with a quick breakout, as Johansson waited and delivered a perfectly placed pass through a Sabres defender’s legs. Appleton got off a clean shot, but Georgiev made a spectacular save to keep the puck out.

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Great play by AlJo shorthanded to set up Appleton but Buffalo goalie makes a nice save #LGRWpic.twitter.com/UnQHgBYNxd

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) September 26, 2025

Danielson, Brandsegg-Nygard Stay Impactful, Sandin-Pellikka Records First Point

Prospects like Nate Danielson and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard continued to make strong impressions. Danielson intercepted a drop pass from a Sabres defender and broke in with only one man to beat. He made a slick move and fired a quick low shot to the stick side, but Georgiev turned it aside.

Brandsegg-Nygard had another impactful performance. He scored a sharp power play goal, picking the corner just below the glove, but also took two penalties, one of which led to a Sabres goal. Despite that, his presence was felt all over the ice. He delivered some heavy hits, disrupted plays with an aggressive forecheck that led to a scoring chance, and later drew defenders into the high slot before sending a pass to a rushing Amadeus Lombardi, who followed up with a quality scoring opportunity.

One name Red Wings fans are keeping a close eye on this preseason is top defensive prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka. The Swedish blueliner generated plenty of excitement with several standout plays, including a key defensive stop on a one-on-one rush where he shut down a Sabres forward attempting to cut inside. Sandin-Pellikka continued to impress by setting up Brandsegg-Nygard’s power-play goal and notching his first point of the preseason and drawing a roughing penalty in the third period.

ASP with a good defensive play in transition. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/rmJvLQGlzH

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) September 25, 2025

Final Notes

• Detroit captain Dylan Larkin played his first preseason game and found the back of the net with a wrist shot after battling for the puck in front, and also featured in a slick passing sequence with Lucas Raymond and Emmitt Finnie.
• Raymond continued his productive preseason with two assists on Larkin’s goal as well as Copp’s while nearly scoring himself with a power-play one-timer off the post.
• Moritz Seider added a goal, credited after the puck deflected in off a Sabres player, and threw a couple hits to set the tone defensively.
• Winger Elmer Söderblom and defenseman Jacob Truscott each picked up assists on Seider’s goal, with Truscott also generating a quality scoring chance off a pass from Marco Kasper.
• Newcomer Jacob Bernard-Docker had a notable shift leading up to Larkin’s goal, circling the offensive zone with the puck before earning the assist, though he also took a high-sticking penalty.
• Prospect Amadeus Lombardi showcased his skill with a couple of creative setups, including a slick move through defenders for a scoring chance and a pinpoint pass to Truscott from behind the net.
• Albert Johansson registered an assist but had a tough moment on the penalty kill, losing his stick which led to the Sabres’ tying goal, though he later helped generate a short-handed 2-on-1.
• Kasper battled hard along the boards and connected with Truscott for another dangerous look.
• Ben Chiarot was involved physically but was caught out of position on the Sabres' second goal. Emmitt Finnie continued to push for a roster spot, nearly scoring off the passing play with Larkin and Raymond.
• In net, Michal Postava stood tall with several key saves on the penalty kill to help preserve the win.

"It Should Be Our Goal": Moritz Seider Backs Red Wings' Playoff Quest As the Detroit Red Wings celebrate their centennial season in the National Hockey League, their goal remains the same - it's time to bring the Stanley Cup Playoffs to Little Caesars Arena for the first time. 

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After signing with the LA Kings in the off-season, defenseman Brian Dumoulin looks to be a solid, reliable defenseman for the Kings heading into the 2025-26 season. 

Dumoulin is a veteran in the NHL, having played since 2013. Dumoulin is bringing lots of NHL experience to the Kings. Dumoulin is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, having won back-to-back Cups as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Since leaving the Penguins at the end of the 2023-24 season, Dumoulin has been on three different teams in three years: the Seattle Kraken, Anaheim Ducks, and New Jersey Devils. In the past offseason, the Kings signed Dumoulin to a 3-year, $4 million contract, which some fans were not the biggest fans of, as the contract ends when Dumoulin will be 37 years old. 

Dumoulin played for the Devils and Ducks last season. During his time with the Ducks, he registered 2 goals, 14 assists for 16 points in 61 games. On the Devils, he would register 1 goal, 5 assists for 6 points in 19 games. While Dumoulin may be past his prime as he joins the Kings, he can still be that reliable defensive defenseman that the Kings may need to improve their depth. 

According to PuckPedia, Dumoulin is on the 3rd pairing alongside Brandt Clarke. This pairing could be very beneficial for the young defenders, as Dumoulin is able to lead and teach them important aspects that he learned early in his career, thereby improving the Kings' young defence as they age and improve. Dumoulin is also not listed on any of the Kings' special teams, so for the start of the season, his playing time will be limited to the 3rd pair. 

2025-2026 Expectations 

Heading into the 2025-26 season, many fans are skeptical of Dumoulin as his career high in points is only 25, and that was nearly 4 years ago. However, given that his style of play is primarily focused on his defensive abilities, scoring points is secondary for Dumoulin. The 34-year-old defender also has strong, reliable breakout capabilities, which the Kings could use for certain set plays to create quick counterattacks. I truly believe that with Dumoulin's career high being at 25 points, if he remains healthy, he could set a new career high for his first season with the Kings. I would say that he gets around 25-30 points in his first season, all while proving he can still be a reliable defenseman. 

The Calgary Flames have an interesting decision to make with Rory Kerins this season. For the first time in his career, the 23-year-old forward will need to clear waivers if he doesn’t stick with the big club out of camp. That means if Calgary tries to send him down, there’s a very real chance another team could scoop him up.

So the question is: do the Flames risk losing him, or do they find a spot for him on the roster?

Kerins sees himself as a natural centre — and let’s be honest, the Flames could use more stability down the middle. The problem is, at the NHL level, he hasn’t quite earned the coaching staff’s trust to take on those heavier defensive minutes. His skating still needs another gear, and his overall two-way game has to tighten up before he’s handed full-time centre duties.

That said, you can’t ignore the upside. Kerins has great hockey sense, he’s committed to improving, and he knows how to generate offence. Just think back to his final year in junior with the Soo Greyhounds, where he racked up a ridiculous 118 points (43g,75a) in 67 games.

He scored the game-winning goal on the power play and added an assist in the Flames’ 4-1 preseason victory against the Seattle Kraken on September 23.

Last season was another big step forward for Kerins. He lit it up with the Calgary Wranglers, putting home a career-high 33 goals and leading the team with 61 points. Even in limited NHL action, he chipped in four assists in five games and finished plus-3. For a sixth-round pick back in 2020, that’s hinting at some serious value.

Calgary rewarded him with a one-year, two-way deal in July — essentially a “show us what you can do” contract. Now it’s up to Kerins to prove he can turn those AHL numbers into NHL consistency.

The Flames have to decide if he’s worth a roster spot right now, or if they’re willing to gamble that he slips through waivers. Either way, Kerins has put himself squarely in the conversation. For a guy who’s been flying under the radar, he’s quickly becoming one of the more intriguing storylines heading into the season.

The New York Rangers lost 5-4 to the New York Islanders on Thursday night in their third preseason game, but that wasn’t the main story. 

Mike Sullivan played many of his veteran players while slipping the young prospects into the mix. 

Gabe Perreault was featured on the first line alongside J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad, which was a big test for him. 

Through the first two preseason games, Perreault scored two goals, and he’s had a strong performance through training camp thus far. 

It was no different for Perreault on Thursday night. The 20-year-old forward stood out playing with Miller and Zibanejad, as he did not shy away from this big opportunity he was given. 

“We’ve talked a lot about Gabe. He's a real exciting player for us,” Sullivan said. “I said the other day that he’s an NHL player in the making and I still believe that. I think he’s a real talented guy. I think he’s going to have a really successful career in this league. I think there are areas where he can improve and get better. That’s going to set himself up for success. We’ve got to help him get stronger, but that’s just a matter of time. He’s a really exciting player for us.”

Brennan Othmann is a player who’s had an up-and-down training camp, but was able to bounce back in a big way in the Rangers’ third preseason game.

Sullivan entrusted Othmann to play with Alexis Lafrenière and Vincent Trocheck. On that line, Othmann definitely appeared to look more confident and generated some offensive chances. 

The highlight of the night for Othmann came when he ripped a shot on the power play for a goal, giving him a much-needed confidence booster. 

“Otter has shown glimpses of brilliance,” Sullivan said. “He can really shoot the puck, you saw it tonight. We would like to see him get into the battles a little bit more, play in traffic, going toward the traffic as opposed to maybe moving away from it. We think he’s capable of playing that game, but that’s a conversation that we’ve had with him here through the first part of the training camp, just trying to define expectations.”

Arguably, the biggest surprise of this training camp and preseason has been the play of Noah Laba. 

The 6-foot-2 center has a lot of potential, and he’s really shown it over these past few weeks. 

Laba’s physical style of play, on top of his sneaky offensive skillsets, makes him a player who can really play up and down the lineup. 

Mike. Sullivan Had One Request Of John Tortorella Ahead Of The 4 Nations Face-Off From one New York Rangers head coach to another, Mike Sullivan and John Tortorella seem to have a strong relationship. 

The 22-year-old forward continued his impressive play on Thursday night, and even caught the attention of the already established veteran players. 

“Labs has kind of come out of nowhere and really stood out, in my opinion,” Vincent Trocheck said. “He’s making it tough on these guys to make decisions on the roster for opening night.”

Brett Berard has also built on the progress he made last season for the Rangers, showing promise both through training camp and the preseason. 

The 23-year-old forward scored a goal in the first period of this preseason game and he continues to make it harder and harder for the Rangers to send him down to the American Hockey League.

On the defensive side, Scott Morrow has played in every preseason game so far and he’s been given a major responsibility, quarterbacking the second-unit of the power play. 

Morrow’s speed and offensive attributes continue to look impressive. He is certainly a defenseman who has a lot of upside as shown since the start of rookie camp. 

While not all of these young prospects will ultimately make the Rangers’ opening-night roster, it’s a positive sign to see them thriving in these sorts of situations, a possible good omen for the future. 

"We're excited about some of these players, some of these young players that are potentially knocking on the door, that could break through,” Sullivan said. That's what this preseason is all about, just trying to find out what we have. We'll try to make the best decisions for the team as we go here.”

Visiting NHL players who have played games in the city of Pittsburgh since 2005 will soon be getting a tad bit richer. 

According to a report by NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has deemed the 3 percent Pa. Usage Fee unconstitutional. The Pa. Usage Fee is a type of "jock tax" - a common tax assessed to visitors of a city who earn income while they're in it.

In Pittsburgh's case, the city had assessed a 3 percent tax to non-resident athletes and entertainers who performed at public stadiums. According to WTAE Pittsburgh, the tax has contributed to more than $2.6 million in city revenue in just the year 2025, highlighting the scale of the expected annual revenue lost for Pittsburgh - and the expectation that the deficit will be will be passed on to residents.

Among the appellees were the NHL Player's Association, New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri, and former Pittsburgh Penguin Scott Wilson. According to Seravalli's report, refunds will be assessed to visiting players who paid the tax for every road game in Pittsburgh. 

News: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that the PA Usage Fee (a jock tax in Pittsburgh) is unconstitutional.#NHLPA and Kyle Palmieri were named among the appellees. Key text: Pittsburgh could not justify why they were taxing nonresident athletes and entertainers more… pic.twitter.com/ZKMmCy5tqc

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 25, 2025

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While it may have only been the second pre-season game, the Detroit Red Wings played as if they were in mid-season form took control over the Buffalo Sabres at Little Caesars Arena, handily winning not only on the scoreboard but on the shot counter. 

By the time it was all said and done, the Red Wings improved to 2-0 in pre-season play with a 5-2 victory, which included a 40-18 shots advantage.

That’s a 5-2 @DetroitRedWings win. 🐙#LGRWpic.twitter.com/XOiVCrnYIL

— Michael Whitaker (@mwhitaker_89) September 26, 2025

Detroit iced a roster that was a mixture of established players who will be on the team this season along with several names hoping to earn a coveted roster spot. It was also the first of two scheduled pre-season games against Buffalo before the regular season begins on Oct. 9. 

Newcomer Mason Appleton began the scoring for the Red Wings early in the opening frame, scoring shorthanded after Andrew Copp stole the puck from Sabres goaltender Alexandar Georgiev at the side of the net. 

Mason Appleton tallies one short-handed! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/xDtr4c5JvQ

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 25, 2025

Just moments later, the Sabres would knot the score courtesy of Noah Östlund, who beat goaltender Cam Talbot with a one-timed shot.

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Pacing the scoring for the Red Wings the rest of the way were Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Andrew Copp, Moritz Seider, and Dylan Larkin; Brandsegg-Nygård's goal in the opening frame was on the power-play.

Andrew Copp goes to the net and bats the puck out of the air past Georgiev off a Lucas Raymond rebound, opening up a 5-2 @DetroitRedWings lead. 🚨 #LGRWpic.twitter.com/7wv7couyub

— Michael Whitaker (@mwhitaker_89) September 26, 2025

Josh Doan, the son of former Arizona Coyotes forward Shane Doan, scored in the second period for the Sabres. 

Goaltender Cam Talbot stopped two of the eight shots that he faced before being replaced as planned midway through the contest by Michal Postava; he stopped all 10 shots the Sabres fired his way. 

Postava, who joined the Red Wings during the offseason after backstopping Brno Kometa to the Czech Extraliga championship in 2024-25 and is expected to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins, looked poised and confident in net in what was his first unofficial competition against NHL players on the smaller North American-sized ice surface. 

He was also particularly strong in the shootout that followed the contest. 

With the victory, the Red Wings are undefeated in pre-season play with a perfect 2-0 record. They'll put the winning streak to the test on Friday evening when they face the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road at PPG Paints Arena (7:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network). 

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