Marco Kasper

Lardis strikes first with a goal that grabs control from the drop. You don't get those openings without reading the play like a vet, and he buries it clean. This early lead forces the opponent to chase, tilting the ice in ways that separate contenders from pretenders late in the season.

In DET@BUF action, Kasper slips one past Alex Lyon to light the scoreboard. Lyon's been solid, but this goal exposes a momentary lapse the Wings exploit perfectly. With Raymond also cashing in on the power play against him, Buffalo's netminder faces a barrage that tests Detroit's momentum in the standings hunt.

Sheldon Dries embodies the silent grind of Detroit's emergency recalls as the Red Wings navigate a rash of injuries to key forwards. He jumps into the lineup with Marco Kasper and James van Riemsdyk, plugging holes while coaches like Todd McLellan juggle taxis from Grand Rapids. These moves reveal the depth chart pressures that separate contenders from pretenders late in the season.

Andrew Copp absorbs a lower-body hit and doesn't return from the Panthers game, testing Detroit's resolve without their reliable two-way center. The Wings scramble with Larkin nursing his own leg woes, forcing Compher and Kasper into expanded roles. This injury hits hard for a line that's been clicking with DeBrincat, and the team braces for Thursday's matchup minus one of their steadiest vets.