BUFFALO, N.Y. — Newly acquired defenseman Bowen Byram scored twice and Zach Benson had a goal and two assists in the Buffalo Sabres’ 7-3 rout over the Detroit Red Wings, who dropped their sixth straight game on Tuesday night.
The win and the Red Wings’ sudden slump opened a glimmer of light for Buffalo and other Eastern Conference teams attempting to climb into playoff contention. The Sabres vaulted ahead of idle New Jersey into 11th place, and within five points of Detroit, which began the day holding the eighth and final playoff spot.
Alex Tuch, JJ Peterka, Connor Clifton, and Jeff Skinner also scored in an outing the Sabres led 4-1 through the first 15:29 and 7-2 after two periods.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 21 shots to improve to 9-3-1 in his past 13, a stretch in which he’s allowed a combined 28 goals.
Lucas Raymond, Jake Walman, and Ben Chiarot scored for the Red Wings, on their worst skid since an 0-8-1 stretch from Jan. 12 to Feb. 3, 2020. Raymond also had an assist.
Alex Lyon allowed four goals on 13 shots before being yanked for the second time in five starts. James Reimer mopped up and allowed three goals on 26 shots.
Byram has three goals and one assist since being acquired by Buffalo in a trade that sent center Casey Mittlestadt to Colorado last week.
Buffalo improved to 7-3-1 in its past 11 and prepares to host the ninth-place Islanders on Thursday, with New York currently tied with Detroit with 72 points.
The Red Wings' slump goes beyond the team losing captain Dylan Larkin, who missed his fourth game with a lower-body injury. Poor goaltending has also been a factor with Lyon allowing 21 goals total in his past five starts.
His numbers could have been worse had the Red Wings not successfully challenged what would have been Buffalo’s second goal, which was negated by an offside review 2:50 in.
Lyon appeared jumpy from the start in allowing Tuch to slip an easy backhander through his legs on a breakaway 67 seconds in. The 31-year-old goalie wasn’t set after he got his blocker up to stop Benson’s shot from the right circle before Byram one-timed in the rebound from the top of the left circle to make it 2-0.
Lyon chased Sabres players behind the net on Benson’s goal, rather than let his defensemen do the work. Scrambling to get back into the crease, Lyon tripped and fell as Benson one-timed in Jordan Greenway’s pass at the 13-minute mark.
He was yanked 2:29 later when Skinner made it 4-1 by driving in alone from the left wing and beating Lyon high on the short side.
Red Wings center Joe Veleno did not return after being struck in the side of the head by a slap shot from Buffalo’s Jacob Bryson two minutes into the second period. Veleno lay on the ice for several minutes before skating off on his own.
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The Sabres will host the New York Islanders on Thursday night.
