Red Wings dump Sabres behind 'complete game,' halt 7-game losing skid

Detroit — It had to end sometime, and on Saturday the Red Wings' losing streak finally did, 4-1 over the Buffalo Sabres.

Christian Fischer and Patrick Kane scored second-period goals, erasing a Buffalo lead, and Daniel Sprong scored in the third period as the Wings ended a painful seven-game losing streak.

Lucas Raymond scored his 20th goal into an empty net to clinch the victory.

BOX SCORE: Red Wings 4, Sabres 1

Goaltender James Reimer stopped 25 shots as the Wings earned a desperately needed victory.

"We played a complete game from start to finish," Fischer said. "Not too many lapses in the defensive zone, they didn't have extended shifts in our zone. In between periods we felt a different compete level, back to our old ways. There was just a different feel in the hockey game, and once we got up 2-1 we knew were going to win that game.

"That's how we felt. Everyone was working, every guy was going tonight, and Reims came up with big when they had a couple of good chances and that was huge for us."

With the victory, the Wings pulled one point ahead of the New York Islanders (74-73), who lost in overtime to Ottawa, for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

"It has a lot to do with the result but again it was the way we did it," coach Derek Lalonde said. "If we weren't able to solve their goalie, who is arguably playing at a top level in the league right now, and we lost that game 2-1 in overtime, we'd still be happy with the process again. Of course we needed a win, but the way we did it was important.

"Obviously a much-needed win. I loved the way we played. That team is scoring in bunches and we just gave up a touchdown to them (Tuesday). For us to hold them to one (goal), it was good on the group."

Kane broke the tie with his 14th goal, at 17:40. J.T. Compher shoveled the puck while driving through the slot to an open Kane, who whistled a shot past goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Fischer gave the Wings a huge lift with a hard-working goal, tying the game 1-1. Fischer skated from behind the net, got knocked down, and from his knees backhanded a shot through Luukkonen, Fischer's third goal of the season.

"Huge," said Lalonde of the Fischer goal. "Guys like Christian, he plays the right way. They had the (Tage) Thompson (line) assignment and their job was to not get scored on. To get a goal the way they did, the second effort, the zone time below the goal line, it was lifting.

"It was a real good second period from that moment on."

The Wings wanted to play better defensively, and they did against a Sabres team that defeated the Wings, 7-3, earlier in the week.

Buffalo took an early lead on Thompson's 20th goal, on the power play. Thompson got the puck near the dot and snapped a shot that beat Reimer through the goaltender's legs at 11:22 of the first period.

But the Wings stemmed the damage there and after Fischer's goal, and for sure after Kane scored, the game was all Wings.

And after seven consecutive and painful losses, and letting a lead in the playoff chase wither away, it was a refreshing feeling.

"Losing streaks suck," Reimer said. "Unfortunately I've been a part of a few in my career and the main thing is you stick with it, stick to your game and don't let the moment get too big for you. You try to play a normal game. Early on I got a little bounce off the post and it came back to me, and that was nice, a little puck luck.

"Our sense of urgency was incredible. It was a complete buy in from my point of view watching the game and you felt comfortable back there knowing guys were in their spots and working, on the winning side of battles.

"It was fun to watch them."

The Wings are in Pittsburgh on Sunday (6 p.m./BSD/97.1) to complete the important weekend back-to-back set of games.

tkulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan