Honestly, if the Detroit Red Wings are going to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, were you actually thinking they’d be doing so any other way than the path they are choosing?

That would be the hard way.

They’re proven time and again this season that it’s the only way they know how to do things. And somehow, some way, they keep on finding a method to make it work.

They did so again on Monday at Little Caesars Arena. Needing at minimum a point to maintain their pursuit of a postseason position, the Red Wings were trailing the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 late in the second period.

When all was said and done, however, it was Detroit that would ultimately prevail, by a 5-4 count in overtime.

It was the third straight OT game for the Red Wings. As well, it was the 13th time this season they’ve been able to rally from a third-period deficit to claim victory.

Red Wings Keep Stayin’ Alive

No one can question this team’s competiveness.

Their defensive acumen, their ability to start on time? Yeah, go ahead and question that all day long.

However, this team possesses an inate ability to keep on fighting and find a way to overcome their own shortcomings.

Red Wings center J.T. Compher described it as a combination of desperation and belief.

“The biggest thing is we still believed in each other and the group,” Compher said. “We never gave up.

LUCAS RAYMOND, TWICE IS SO NICE!

After netting the tying goal, Lucas Raymond secures a MASSIVE two points for the @DetroitRedWings with the @Energizer overtime winner to keep them in the #StanleyCup Playoffs Wild Card race! pic.twitter.com/mFWrq5YdnZ

— NHL (@NHL) April 16, 2024

“Down three goals, we’ve come back. I don’t know what the number is, but Newsy (coach Derek Lalonde) said it after the second intermission that we’ve done it a lot this year.

“When you do things consistently, that’s what causes the belief that we can get back into the game and get the two points we needed.”

Red Wings Don Rally Caps Yet Again

Consider Detroit’s last three games as Exhibits A, B and C in this belief system. Down 5-3 at Pittsburgh on Thursday with 6:51 left in regulation, the Red Wings would score twice to force overtime. They got a point from a 6-5 setback.

Saturday at Toronto, they would squander a 4-1 first period lead, but win 5-4 in OT. Monday, it was once more time again for the Wings to don their rally caps.

DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' #LGRW pic.twitter.com/cgqWcLcnv7

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 16, 2024

Compher’s second goal of the game at 15:59 of the second frame would narrow the deficit to 4-2. Alex DeBrincat scored midway through the third period. Then with the goalie pulled, Lucas Raymond would tie the score at 18:43. Raymond’s goal at 4:25 of OT was the decider.

Living To Fight Another Day

It’s still an uphill battle for Detroit, but the Red Wings remain in with a chance. Washington is holding the final Eastern Conference wild card with 89 points. That’s the same total as the Wings. However, the Capitals win the tiebreaker with Detroit, which is regulation wins.

Detroit must win Tuesday at Montreal and hope that Washington gets no more than one point at Philadelphia. That’s the easier path to the playoffs for the Wings.

Should they get one point at Montreal, the Red Wings would need Washington to lose in regulation at Philly and Pittsburgh to get no more than one point in the club’s regular-season finale on Wednesday against the New York Islanders.

Detroit loses every playoff tiebreaker, so the Wings must finish ahead in points to make the playoffs.

“We know what we need to do,” Compher said. All (Monday) did was give us an opportunity to finish the job (Tuesday).

“We’ll control what we can control, which is our game. But all we did was give ourselves a chance to finish the job (Tuesday).”

The post Red Wings Remarkable Comeback Win; Keep Doing Things The Hard Way appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

It’s fitting that this is the 72nd anniversary of the start of the Detroit Red Wings’ tradition of throwing of octopi on the ice at playoff time.

Brothers Jerry and Pete Cusimano worked at the family fish market at Detroit’s Eastern Market. They came up with the thought that the eight tentacles of an octopus could represent the eight wins a team needed to win the Stanley Cup in that era.  On April 15, 1952, after Detroit downed the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 to complete a four-game sweep in the Stanley Cup Final, the Cusimano brothers hurled an octopus onto the ice at Olympia Stadium. The Red Wings went 8-0 in that postseason. The Octopus tradition was born.

Over time, the tradition evolved to the point that fans were pitching multiple octopi over the glass after every Detroit goal in the playoffs. Because it was a safety issue and a significant disruption in the game, the NHL finally dictated the tradition had to be curtailed, although the Red Wings do tolerate the throwing of one octopus per game at playoff time.

The anniversary is relevant because the Red Wings play the Montreal Canadiens today at Little Caesars Arena in a game that feels like a playoff game. Detroit’s team has been in playoff mode for a few weeks. We’ve seen octopi thrown.

Postseason Drought

To qualify for the postseason for the first time in eight years, the Red Wings probably need to beat the Habs tonight in Detroit and Tuesday in Montreal. Even then, they could need help. What we know for sure is if Detroit and Pittsburgh lose in regulation tonight, they are eliminated.

“It’s about that first period at home on Monday night, getting a good start,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Our starts have been good of late. Stay composed, narrow our focus and that narrow focus will be our first period.”

You can bet an octopus will fly over the glass tonight.

72 years ago today ON THIS DAY in hockey history (April 15, 1952):

The @DetroitRedWings beat the Canadiens 3-0 in Game #4 of the 1952 Stanley Cup Final to win the Stanley Cup, going undefeated (8-0) in the process. Brothers Jerry and Pete Cusimano toss the first Octopus too! pic.twitter.com/ZasPreqvMK

— Vintage Hockey Showcase (@hockey_vintage) April 15, 2024

Game Time

Monday: Montreal at Detroit

Where: Little Caesars Arena

TV/RADIO: Bally Sports Detroit/97.1 FM

Time: 7 p.m.

Canadiens Preview

Dynamic rookie defenseman Lane Hutson could make his debut for Montreal in tonight’s game. The slick puck mover has played for Boston University the last two seasons. Hutson posted 48 points as a freshman and 49 as a sophomore. He participated in the morning skate today…Montreal has lost five of its last seven, but did earn a point in two of the losses…The Habs rank 27th in scoring (2.8 goals per game) and 26th in goals-against average (3.40)… Montreal’s top line is Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky. Young Slafkovsky had a hat trick last week against Philadelphia.

Red Wings Preview

Lalonde is going with Alex Lyon in net. James Reimer is 7-2 in his last nine decisions. That includes a 5-4 overtime win against Toronto Saturday. Lyon has been the team’s No.1 ..Forwards Andrew Copp (broken cheekbone) and Michael Rasmussen (upper body injury) are injured. Copp did skate this morning with a full shield and he will decide after the morning skate with he can play. Copp has missed the past two games and Rasmussen has been sidelined since April 1…The Red Wings have given up 10 goals and scored 10 goals in their past two games…Lucas Raymond has generated four goals and four assists over his past four games. …Alex DeBrincat has two goals and three assists for five points in his past two games. DeBrincat will play against with Dylan Larkin and Raymond. J.T. Compher will center David Perron and Patrick Kane. The Red Wings are ninth in the NHL with a power play efficiency of 23.2%. The Canadiens rank 23rd on the penalty kill at 76.4%

DYLAN LARKIN GETS THE OVERTIME WINNER FOR THE 2PTS TO KEEP THE PLAYOFF DREAMS ALIVE!!

WINGS WIN 5-4#LGRW #RedWings pic.twitter.com/YMupHzSzqG

— Hockeytown Rundown (@HockeytownRD) April 14, 2024

The post Canadiens vs. Red Wings: Lines, Notes & How to Watch appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Captain Dylan Larkin succinctly summed up what the Detroit Red Wings require from their remaining two games on the schedule.

“We need four (points),” Larkin said.

Yes they do. And yet, it still might not be enough to get them to the promised land of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Currently, Detroit, Washington and Philadelphia are all deadlocked with 87 points. Pittsburgh is a point back as all four clubs duel for the second wild card spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. The Penguins, Capitals and Red Wings all have two games to play. For the Flyers, there’s only one game left to go.

Here’s a look at the various methods through which Detroit can end up in the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

Red Wings Playoff Scenarios

Were the Red Wings to win both of their remaining games, they’ll finish with 91 points. If that happens, then:

• Washington must lose one of its two remaining games in any fashion and finish with no more than 90 points.
• In this scenario, it wouldn’t matter what Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the New York Islanders (89 points, currently third in the Metropolitan Division) do.

If Red Wings and Washington both win their final two games, Detroit would need the Islanders to gain no more than one point in their final two games. In this scenario, the Capitals would finish third in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points. That would be earning Washington the tiebreaker over the Islanders based on more regulation wins.

After their win last night, the @Capitals have slid into the second Wild Card spot in the East!

Watch the #StanleyCup Playoffs on @espn and @NHL_On_TNT starting April 20th.

Bracket Challenge presented by @betwayusa pic.twitter.com/2PKl36KEfQ

— NHL (@NHL) April 14, 2024

The Red Wings would earn the wild card spot with 91 points, winning the tiebreaker with the Islanders either due to more regulation wins or more regulation/overtime wins. It wouldn’t matter what Pittsburgh and Philadelphia do.

Three Points Wouldn’t Necessarily Finish Detroit

If the Red Wings gain three of a possible four points, they would still have two pathways to the playoffs:

They would need Washington to gain no more than two points in its final two games and for Pittsburgh to lose one of its two games in any fashion. In this scenario, Detroit would have 90 points, and Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia a maximum of 89.

An ELECTRIC win for the @DetroitRedWings last night moves them one spot closer to the playoffs@MoneyPuckdotcom playoffs odds:@Capitals: 34.7%#RedWings: 26.2%@NHLFlyers: 22.4%@penguins: 20.6%#LGRW pic.twitter.com/la31fuPXA4

— Gamble Online Michigan (@GambleonlineMI) April 14, 2024

Or:

They would need the Islanders to lose both of their remaining games in regulation and Pittsburgh to lose in regulation to Nashville. Washington, with 90 points, would finish third in the Metropolitan Division by owning the tiebreaker with the Islanders (more regulation wins). The Red Wings, with 90 points, also would own the tiebreaker with the Islanders based on either more regulation wins or more regulation/overtime wins.

Two Points Won’t Do It

There is no scenario through which the Red Wings can reach the playoffs by gaining only two points to finish with 89. That’s because Washington plays Philadelphia on Tuesday.

This gurantees that one of those clubs is assured of having 89 points. Both own the tiebreaker with Detroit.

The post Here’s How The Red Wings Make The Playoffs appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

People will tell you that on paper, the Detroit Red Wings are left with the easiest slate of games among the four teams competing for the second Eastern Conference wild card spot in the NHL playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings will quickly be reminding everyone that NHL games are decided on the ice, not on paper.

“We’ve got Montreal and that’s dangerous the way they’ve been going,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was quick to point out.

"We need to show up and have our foot on the gas. That’s been the attitude.”

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 14, 2024

Out of the postseason picture, the Montreal Canadiens are merely playing spoiler down the stretch. And they’ve been doing plenty of spoiling.

Montreal is 5-4-2 over the past 11 games. By comparison, Detroit is 3-4-3 over the past 10 games. Washington is 3-5-2 and Philadelphia is 2-6-2. Two of those losses were dealt to the Flyers by the Canadiens.

Only Pittsburgh (7-1-2) can boast of a better run of late than the Canadiens among the four competitors for the eighth seed in the East.

Coucou c'est Cole

Cauf them off guard#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/AmLBiLpotL

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 14, 2024

The Wings know all about playing the spoiler. It’s been their role down the stretch over each of the past seven seasons. Playing free and clear of pressure is an entirely realm to the pressure-packed existence Detroit is currently living.

“We’ve been in that position that they’re in and it’s a whole different ballgame of what we’ve been playing, these playoff-style games,” Larkin said.

That element alone can make the Canadiens a very dangerous opponent.

Montreal Has Given Red Wings Fits

The two teams are meeting Monday at Little Caesars Arena, where the Canadiens have made themselves at home. Over the last 11 clashes at LCA between Detroit and Montreal, the Red Wings are 4-4-3. Detroit is 0-0-1 this season and 0-0-2 through the past two contests.

Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde’s gameplan for his club on Monday is to ignore the big picture and think small.

“Play the right way,” Lalonde said. “We can’t look at it as two games. It’s about that first period at home on Monday night, getting a good start.

“Our starts have been good of late. Stay composed, narrow our focus and that narrow focus will be our first period.”

The Red Wings have actually been faring better at Montreal against the Canadiens. They won 5-4 in overtime there in December and are 3-0-0 through the past three games at the Bell Center. However, Detroit is just 5-6 in the last 11 games at Montreal.

Red Wings Need Four Points

It was Meat Loaf who warbled that two out of three ain’t bad. However, in the case of the Red Wings and their playoff hopes, three out of four is the bare minimum requirement for survival.

Washington, Detroit and Philadelphia all have 87 points, one better than Pittsburgh. But the Capitals and Flyers clash in the season finale for both clubs. That guarantees one of those teams will be finishing the season with no less than 89 points.

Since the Red Wings lose the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot, they’ll have to get to no fewer than 90 points to hold a chance of qualification.

“We need four (points),” Larkin was expressing.

That being said, even going four-for-four over the next two games might not be enough for the Wings. If Washington and Detroit both win out, the Capitals and Red Wings will each have 91 points. But the tiebreaker goes the way of the Caps.

Bottom line, Detroit does require two wins and some help. And the Red Wings shouldn’t be counting on the Canadiens being helpful to their cause.

The post Red Wings Facing Tough Test In Canadiens appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Detroit Red Wings fans have two games to worry about on Monday. If the Red Wings take care of their business Monday and beat the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena, they still need the Bruins to beat Washington to move into the second Eastern Conference wildcard spot. Detroit has another game in Montreal on Tuesday. Detroit has beaten Montreal once in overtime and lost once in OT in two meetings this season.

The Monday scenario is only possible because the Red Wings rose up Saturday to pull off a 5-4 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bob Duff offered a good read on the victory, which included Detroit building, and then losing, a three-goal lead.

Duff called the game the “Cliff Notes” of the Detroit season.

“The resilience that this club continues to display once again rose to the fore to save the day . . . and the season, for that matter,” Duff wrote.

Dylan Larkin scored in OT for what may be the biggest goal of his career.

“You can’t feel any better,” Larkin said. “I knew Kaner was gonna look for that play. Just had to have my stick on the ice and he was gonna hit it. I didn’t even see it go in but I just saw Kaner. All the big moments he’s had in his his career, to see how excited he was, see all the boys rush over. Man, what a feeling.”

The Red Wings continued to play without injured Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp. They are key players for Detroit’s penalty killing and checking strategy. Copp has a broken cheekbone and Rasmussen’s injury has been called an upper body issue. The Red Wings have the day off today, meaning there will be no update until Monday morning.

DYLAN LARKIN Potentially season saving goal. Unbelievable. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/LlS6lpGpDU

— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) April 14, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Defenseman Shai Buium, a Red Wings second-round draft pick, earned his second NCAA title playing with Denver. Two years, he was on the team with Detroit prospects Carter Mazur and Antti Tuomisto.
• Why the NHL tiebreakers work against coach Derek Lalonde’s Detroit squad.
• Ville Husso tried to play a game with the Grand Rapids Griffins as a step toward returning to the Red Wings’ lineup. But he had a setback in the pregame warmup and didn’t play.
• Paywall story: Tim Robinson wrote about Axel Sandin Pellikka’s impressive season, noting that he wouldn’t even be in the sport if his grandfather hadn’t intervened when he was young.  To subscribe, click here.Use the promo code kevin10 to get $10 off the yearly subscription price.

Red Wings Next Game

The Red Wings are tied with the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers for the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. Each team has 87 points. Both the Capitals and Flyers have a tiebreaker advantage (regulation wins) over Detroit. The Flyers have one game remaining, while Detroit and Washington have two. What it means: If the Red Wings win both of their remaining games against the Montreal Canadiens, they still need help. To qualify for the playoffs in that scenario, the Red Wings still would need the Capitals to earn three or fewer points in their two remaining games.

Hockey Now Network

Colorado: Defenseman Sean Behrens (drafted 61st overall in 2021) is on the Denver team that just won their second NCAA tournament in three years. He has 31 points in 44 games. Will the Colorado Avalanche sign him? Evan Rawal has the story.

Chicago: The Chicago Blackhawks signed creative college forward Frank Nazar out of Michigan. It’s possible he will get a game or games with the Blackhawks. Nazar had 41 points in 41 games with the Wolverines.

Florida: Sam Reinhart scored in overtime to give Sergei Bobrovsky the win his 700th career NHL game in goal. The Florida Panthers are now guaranteed home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Nashville: Nobody should overlook the Nashville Predators as a playoff threat. They have learned much during this journey to the post season.

Pittsburgh: Why did the Pittsburgh Penguins pull former Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic in the loss to the Boston Bruins. Dan Kingerski has the story.

San Jose: The San Jose Sharks‘ 6-2 loss to the Minnesota assures them the best draft lottery odds for the hope of drafting Macklin Celebrin.

The post The Daily: Red Wings Need Help From Bruins; Penguins Pull Ned appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The old saying is that a tie is like kissing your sister but if it comes to NHL postseason tiebreaking scenarios, the Detroit Red Wings might as well kiss their playoff hopes goodbye.

Looking though the tiebreaking situations the league would employ to break any deadlocks between two or more teams, the Red Wings come out on the short end of the equation.

It's a VERY tight race for the final #StanleyCup Playoffs spots in the East.

Which teams will make it in? pic.twitter.com/iHQEQ0fdhL

— NHL (@NHL) April 12, 2024

Currently, the Pittsburgh Penguins are sitting in the cat bird’s seat for the final Eastern Conference wild card with 86 points. Detroit, the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers all have 85 points.

All four teams are in action on Saturday. Detroit is playing at the Toronto Maple Leafs. Every team save the Flyers show three games remaining on their schedules. Philadelphia is left with just two games to play.

“There’s a path,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “It’s going to be difficult but I know this group has it in us.”

Yes, there is a path to the playoffs for the Red Wings. But it’s going to be a bumpy road, one that won’t be easily navigated.

And if it comes down to a tiebreaking formula, it simply doesn’t add up well at all for Detroit. No wonder that the latest playoff odds are showing the Red Wings with a 15.8% chance of being participants.

Red Wings Lose Key Tiebreaker

The first tiebreaker is regulation wins. Detroit owns 27 of those. Pittsburgh has 31, with Washington and Philadelphia each at 29 regulation victories.

Were the Wings to somehow manage to gain a tie in regulation wins, things to do get a bit better for them. The second tiebreaker is regulation plus overtime wins (the ROW column in the NHL standings). Here, Detroit has 36, and Pittsburgh is at 35. Washington and Philadelphia are each at 33.

The third tiebreaker is all types of wins. Detroit has 38 of those. That’s one better than all three of the other teams.

However, it’s wise to remember that it’s unlikely any deadlock will get past the first tiebreaker. Here’s some things that we do know for sure.

Petry in the final minute of the 2nd. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/u7LwoOsEYe

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 12, 2024

It’s almost a certainty that Detroit will need to finish the season at minimum with 88 points in order to make the playoffs. That’s because Washington is facing Philadelphia in the regular-season ender for both clubs. In other words, one of those teams is guaranteed to get another win and finish with no less than 87 points.

In this scenario, the Red Wings would need to garner at least three points from the club’s three remaining games. But should Pittsburgh win even one more game, then the Wings would need to get to 89 points, because there’s absolutely no way to win a tiebreaker with the Penguins. That would require four of the maximum six points still up for grabs.

“With three games left we still have a shot at this,” Detroit forward Lucas Raymond said.

Yes they do, but anyone doing the math would have to admit it’s a long shot at best.

The post Red Wings up Against it When it Comes to Playoff Tiebreaker appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Detroit Red Wings aren’t out of the race for the NHL’s second Eastern Conference wild card playoff spot. At the same time, to gain that position, they are going to need help.

The Red Wings are sitting with 85 points. That’s the same total as the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers. It’s one behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, holding down the second wild card placing with 86 points. Pittsburgh’s 6-5 overtime victory over Detroit on Thursday is currently the difference maker in this race.

LUCAS RAYMOND HAT TRICK!!! pic.twitter.com/0Z1fPr8JiZ

— NHL (@NHL) April 12, 2024

“I know it doesn’t feel good right now but there’s still a path there,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said.

Detroit, Pittsburgh and Washington each have three games to play. Philadelphia is down to two games on the club’s remaining ledger.

Another factor that’s problematic for the Red Wings is that they lose the first tiebreaker to every one of these teams. That’s regulation wins and Detroit has 27 of them. Philadelphia and Washington each have 29, while Pittsburgh owns 31.

What this means is that the Red Wings will need to be a point clear of any challenger in order to claim the posteason position.

Let’s look to the final week of the regular season as the Red Wings continue their chase for a playoff spot.

Detroit Red Wings (38-32-9, 85 points)

Remaining Games: Sat at Toronto, Monday vs Montreal, Tuesday at Montreal.

The Red Wings were 5-2 winners the last time they were the visitors in Toronto on Jan. 14. Former Leafs goalie James Reimer got the win that night. Might Lalonde look to him to again come through?

Detroit is 1-8-2 in the club’s past 11 road games. The Red Wings have also scored two or fewer goals in eight of 19 games since the beginning of March. They’ve been shutout four times during that span.

Pittsburgh Penguins (37-30-12, 86 points)

Remaining Games: Saturday vs Boston, Monday vs Nashville, Wednesday at New York Islanders.

Former Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic is 8-0-3 in his last 11 decisions for Pittsburgh. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has points in 13 of his last 15 games overall, accumulating 25 points (9-16-25) in that span.

Nedeljkovic on his mindset: "Just find the next puck. Worry about staying in the moment, not what's in the past – not what happened. You can't control it. So it's just finding that next one and getting back on the horse." pic.twitter.com/rE4DPORoX8

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 6, 2024

Thursday’s OT triumph was Pittsburgh’s ninth successive home-ice win (7-0-2) over the Red Wings. The Pens have outscored the Wings 47-22 in that span.

Washington Capitals (37-31-11, 85 points)

Remaining Games: Saturday at Tampa Bay, Monday vs Boston, Tuesday at Philadelphia.

The Capitals are 1-5-2 through their past eight games. The lone win was Tuesday at Detroit.

Washington simply isn’t scoring enough to sustain success. The Capitals have tallied two or fewer goals in each of the past eight games. They are averaging 1.75 goals per game over that span.

Philadelphia Flyers (37-32-10, 85 points)

Remaining Games: Saturday vs New Jersey, Tuesday vs Washington.

A 4-1 win over the New York Rangers on Thursday brought to a halt Philadelphia’s eight-game losing skid (0-6-2). Flyers forward Owen Tippett has 13 multi-point games this season. He has 15 points (6-9-15) in the last 15 games.

The good news is Philly finsihes with consecutive home games. On the other hand, the Flyers are just 3-3-2 over their past eight at home.

The post Handicapping The Race: Who Will Come to Aid of Red Wings? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

No one has to tell Detroit Red Wings defenseman Olli Maatta about how fantastic the core of the Pittsburgh Penguins is. He was living it in person as a Penguins player from 2013-19, winning a pair of Stanley Cups alongside the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

“I think they’re a proud group,” Maatta said. “They’ve done it for a long time and they still have that hunger. You know how they work day to day. They don’t take any games off. Every game matters for them.

“They want to succeed. They’re special kind of players for sure.”

Sidney Crosby continues to be recognized as the most well-rounded player on the ice – the @Penguins captain has won or tied atop the #NHLPAPlayerPoll most complete player category for five straight seasons! pic.twitter.com/EjX9MS5QQT

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) April 10, 2024

On the morning of Mar. 24, Pittsburgh sat 24th in the NHL standings and 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 30-30-9 record. The Penguins were nine points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and given just a 1.7% chance of making the postseason per moneypuck.com. Now, the Penguins enter tonight’s game against Detroit with points in nine-straight games (6-0-3). Like the Red Wings, they’re one point out of a playoff spot.

“They’ve been playing great,” Detroit forward Patrick Kane said of the Penguins. “They’ve been finding ways to get points and win games. It’s been impressive, because you thought they were out of the playoff picture around the trade deadline. They’ve had quite a run.”

Crosby Leading The Way

Crosby, as is usually the case, is pacing that progress. He’s been accounting for an NHL-leading 17 points since March 24.

“I don’t think there’s ever enough to be said about how big of a leader, how special of a player he is and has been for a long time,” Maatta said of Crosby. “on’t know how somebody can do that for that long. I didn’t think that was possible but he can do it. He’s shown that. And he’s still doing it at an elite level. I think it’s gonna be a big challenge for us.”

Game Time

Thursday: Detroit at Pittsburgh

Where: PPG Paints Arena

TV/RADIO: Bally Sports Detroit/97.1 FM

Time: 7 p.m.

Penguins Preview

Pittsburgh captain Crosby reached the 40-goal plateau for the third time in his career. He’s the seventh NHL player to post a 40-goal campaign after his 36th birthday . . . Crosby needs two points to tie Phil Esposito for 10th all-time in NHL scoring. “He’s special,” Lalonde said. “He’ll go down as one of the greatest ever. He’s pushing that team.” . . . Pittsburgh is 386-88-46 when both Crosby and Malkin get a point in the same game . . . Former Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic has gaines points for Pittsburgh in each of his last nine games (6-0-3). That’s a career best for him.

Red Wings Preview

Alex Lyon will be making his sixth consecutive start tonight. “We’re ready to play James (Reimer) any time,” Lalonde said. “We’ll kind of go game by game, but we foresee James getting the net in one of these games. It’s just a matter of when.” . . . Forwards Andrew Copp (broken cheekbone) and Michael Rasmussen (upper body injury) are out.

UPDATE: The #RedWings today recalled center Zach Aston-Reese from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions. pic.twitter.com/1HbSliDuNf

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 10, 2024

Former Penguin Zach Aston-Reese is up from the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. “Aston-Reese will probably help us on the penalty kill, having two of our top killers out,” Lalonde said. He’ll play on the foruth line with Christian Fischer and Austin Czarnik. Lalonde is tweaking all four lines. It’s Dylan Larkin-Alex DeBrincat-Lucas Raymond, Patrick Kane-J.T. Compher-David Perron and Joe Veleno-Robby Fabbri-Daniel Sprong on the other lines . . . D pairings remain the same, meaning Justin Holl and Jake Walman will be healthy scratches.

The post Penguins vs. Red Wings: Lines, Notes & How to Watch appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

For some, even some of the most ardent members of the Detroit Red Wings fanbase, there is resignation that the team’s playoff chances have come and gone.

Then there’s a smattering of loyalists who are absolutely anrefusing to give up faith that the team will find a way to get it done.

As far as the players themselves, they recognize the most prudent of movements for them is to distance themselves from the emotional roller coaster that the chase for the NHL’s second Eastern Conference wild card spot is creating.

The only choice they have is to be living in the moment.

The post Red Wings Must Remain Divorced From Emotion of Race (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Patrick Kane is speaking highly of his Detroit Red Wings experience.

“It’s been great,” Kane said of his time in Detroit. “Nothing but positive things to say about the organization, the coaches and the team in here.

“Really happy with the decision to come here.”

That being the case, Kane is offering no inclination that he’s ready to turn this five-month stand into a long-term relationship.

“I think just with the situation I was in and coming in and being here for maybe three-quarters of the season or whatever it was, it’s just this year and then we’ll see what happens,” Kane said.

Detroit goal!

Scored by Patrick Kane with 05:20 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Alex DeBrincat.

Washington: 3
Detroit: 3#DETvsWSH #ALLCAPS #LGRW pic.twitter.com/PIWRiZJRYF

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) March 27, 2024

Certainly, it’s working out well for all parties. Following radical hip surgery, Kane was joining the Wings in December on a deal covering the remainder of the season. He’s definitely been delivering the goods. His goal in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Washington gave him 20 in a season for the 12th time as an NHLer.

“He’s been great,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “The offense he’s produced, the leadership he’s brought, the presence he’s brought to the room, he’s been everything as advertised.”

Red Wings Performance Silences Kane’s Doubters

The Red Wings were among the few clubs willing to take a chance on Kane still being himself following his hip resurfacing procedure. Proving to be the Kane of old, he’ll likely be find himself entertaining offers from plenty of suitors if he’s entering the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

“I haven’t really thought about it much,” Kane said of what’s ahead for him this summer. “Obviously it’s in the back of your mind. It’s gonna come up eventually.”

The major question mark surrounding Kane’s future, his health, is no longer an issue.

“The thing is I’m not feeling pain on the ice,” Kane said. “That’s a lot different than what I was used to the past couple of years, two and a half seasons.

“Obviously feel like it’s going to get better and better as time goes on, which is exciting.”

btw, Patrick Kane is now tied with Mike Modano for most 20-goal seasons of all time by an american player (16) pic.twitter.com/IoB9yD8Zlp

— Emma (@catboyseider) April 10, 2024

The chance to be adding a proven to be healthy Hart, Art Ross and Conn Smythe Trophy winner figures to be appealing to plenty of teams that will be figuring they are Stanley Cup contenders entering the 2024-25 season.

Kane’s camp will likely be fielding plenty of offers. How will the Red Wings be stacking up against these other opportunities? That will be the challenge facing Detroit GM Steve Yzerman. That’s assuming his determination is leaning toward keeping Kane in the fold.

“Obviously, it’s not an easy decision on deciding where you want to play, where you think you’d fit best,” Kane admits. “Hopefully all that stuff figures itself out.”

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