Detroit's captain delivered the dagger early in the third period to snap a 2-2 tie against San Jose, propelling the surging Red Wings to their fifth win in six games. Marco Kasper's return to the scoresheet after a 37-game drought provided the exclamation point on an empty-netter, while the team's depth scoring continued to overwhelm opponents.

Prospect Kasper Helenius builds a compelling recall case with steady AHL play, while Tage Thompson bags another Olympic goal to keep Buffalo fans buzzing. The Sabres' depth chart gets intriguing as Helenius eyes a top-six audition, and Thompson's international sizzle fuels talks of a monster second half back in North America. Both storylines tie directly into Buffalo's playoff charge, where every forward counts.