Detroit — A lot of the rookies continued to look good and some veterans made an impact in their preseason debuts on Thursday, as the Red Wings defeated Buffalo, 5-2.

Mason Appleton (shorthanded), Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (power play), Dylan Larkin, Mortiz Seider and Andrew Copp scored goals, as the Wings raised their record to 2-0-0 on the exhibition season. Copp added an assist for a two-point night, and Lucas Raymond had two assists.

Goaltender Cam Talbot played the first half of the game and stopped 6-of-9 shots, while Michal Postava stopped nine shots in relief.

Young players such as Brandsegg-Nygard, Postava, Nate Danielson (one assist), Axel Sandin-Pellikka (one assist) and Emmitt Finnie all had fine games again, as the coach Todd McLellan continues to learn about the talented batch of youthful talent.

A player like Brandsegg-Nygard (2024 first-round draft pick) is only 19, and gains invaluable experience in a setting like an NHL training camp and preseason.

“It’s really important to see him and for him to experience life in this environment,” McLellan said. “Part of camp is learning about these players, understanding how players react in different situations and (how they) tick. The amount of information they can take in.

“In turn, they’re learning a little about us. How are we going to react when they make a mistake? What are practices going to be like? To provide a little bit of comfort in that while they’re here, that’s really important.”

The Wings scored three second-period goals after Buffalo’s Josh Doan tied the game 2-2. Larkin put back a rebound at 10:04, Seider bounced a puck off Sabres players in front into the net at 12:35 and Copp backhanded a shot in the slot with the teams skating four-on-four at 18:23, capping the Wings’ run.

BOX SCORE: Red Wings 5, Sabres 2

Copp and J.T. Compher are two players McLellan has singled out as veterans who will be crucial for the Wings’ success. Copp had a fine start to his preseason Thursday.

“We’ve talked about the importance they’ll have on this team,” McLellan said. “We’re pushing both of them. Copp had a real good game (Compher played Tuesday and wasn’t in Thursday’s lineup). He doesn’t have to score from distance. He’s a big man with good hands, and we have to score more in that area.”

Noah Ostlund and Doan had Buffalo’s goals, both on the power play. The Wings, who struggled mightily on the penalty kill last season, killed three of five Buffalo power plays.

The Wings outshot Buffalo (the Sabres had a predominately minor-league lineup) by a final margin of 40-18.

“(It was) a real good hunting mentality,” McLellan said. “The tenacity from one job to the next was evident. It wasn’t go do some work here and kind of casually come out of it and be done. We were connected on the ice, five guys working together with a plan, so that was good to see again.

“Two different teams, two different nights and we saw it. Hopefully they’re picking it up.”

McLellan was pleased to get Postava, an undrafted free agent signed from Czechia over the summer, into the game.

“He was excited, real excited, to get in there,” McLellan said. “You could feel it and see it. He made some good saves. He’s had a real good training camp and we’re excited to see what type of year he’s going to have.”

Postava, 21, treated this game as he would have any other game.

“I’m not thinking if it’s a preseason or postseason game, I try 100 percent every game,” Postava said. “I would say (it) worked well today and I need to continue.”

tkulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan

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