Red Wings close out preseason with 4-2 loss against Columbus

DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings concluded their preseason schedule on Saturday, September 26, with a narrow 4-2 defeat against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena. Despite an inspiring rally, the Red Wings ultimately fell short of securing a win. Ben Chiarot and Michael Rasmussen managed to score third-period goals, bringing the score down to 3-2 in favor of Columbus.

However, Cole Sillinger's empty-net goal with just 10.8 seconds left in the game secured the victory for the Blue Jackets. The Wings finished the preseason with a 2-1-1 record, as they were set to begin their regular season on Friday, October 2, against the New York Rangers. Throughout the game, the Red Wings registered 34 shots on Columbus goaltender Jet Greaves, outshooting them 34-22.

The key mistakes for Columbus came from Moritz Seider's poorly thrown pass, leading to Valeri Nichushkin's goal in the first period, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka's misplaced pass resulting in Jack Williams' goal, marking the start of the Red Wings' 3-0 deficit in the second period. The Blue Jackets capitalized on Charlie Coyle's power-play goal to add to their lead.

In an effort to bolster their roster, the Wings claimed defenseman Andreas Englund off waivers from Calgary. The 30-year-old Englund, who played three games with Nashville last season without scoring, had 13 points in 52 NHL games with Nashville, Colorado, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee (AHL). Englund, standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 200 pounds, has accumulated 200 NHL games overall, with two goals and 20 points, along with 190 penalty minutes and a minus-26 plus-minus rating.

Calgary signed Englund to a one-year, two-way contract on July 1, with an annual average value of $900,000. It is likely that Englund will start the upcoming season in Grand Rapids.