Captain Courageous: Dylan Larkin Leads Wings Against Sabres

Published on: Oct 22, 2025 02:04 am IST

Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings aim to maintain their strong season start as they face the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

Dylan Larkin was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week after tallying nine points and a plus-7 rating over four games last week.

The Red Wings’ captain was honored a day after achieving four points in a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, matching his career high.

“Everything a captain should be,” remarked Detroit coach Todd McLellan about Larkin. “His leadership isn’t just about motivational speeches; often, he leads by example. Despite dealing with some injuries, he’s showing us exactly what we need to see from Dylan. The season is young, and he must keep it up.”

Larkin’s six-game point streak is his second longest to start a season, only behind his eight-game streak to start the 2023-24 campaign. He has joined Hall of Famers Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman as the only Red Wings to achieve multiple season-opening point streaks of at least six games.

Larkin has contributed to all of his team’s last six goals, a feat last accomplished by Pavel Datsyuk in 2016 for the Red Wings.

Rookie Emmitt Finnie scored his first two goals and added an assist in Detroit’s Sunday victory, as they celebrate their centennial season in remarkable form. The Red Wings have captured five consecutive wins, making it their second 5-1-0 start in the last three seasons.

Patrick Kane missed the game against Edmonton due to an upper-body injury sustained during the team’s 2-1 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He is expected to miss the next two games.

Buffalo’s modest two-game win streak came to an end with a 4-2 defeat by the Montreal Canadiens on Monday.

Zach Benson assisted on Jiri Kulich’s second goal of the season, making Benson only the third Sabres player to accumulate six assists in his first three games of a season, alongside Jack Eichel and Thomas Vanek.

“He’s a phenomenal player,” said Kulich about Benson. “His skills are extraordinary, and his effort is impressive. I’m always excited to share the ice with him.”

Zach Metsa, an undrafted defenseman, made his NHL debut for the Sabres against the Canadiens. He recorded a plus-1 rating and blocked a shot in 9:02 of ice time.

“Not every player is drafted high and given opportunities right away,” said Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff. “Zach has worked for every chance, earning his spot with us.”

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