2. Know Your Enemy

Detroit is right on the playoff line, holding the second Wild Card berth in the Eastern Conference following a 3-2 overtime loss at Dallas Saturday. Simon Edvinsson and Lucas Raymond scored third-period goals for the Red Wings to secure a point, before Canadian Olympian Thomas Harley won it for the home side 2:06 into the extra frame.

“We got some timely goals, and we will take them any way we can get them,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan told reporters postgame. “It was a real character night for a lot of our players to compete as hard as they did and at least get us a point.”

The Red Wings have won just once over their past six games, and sit just one point ahead of the Blue Jackets for playoff safety. And lately, they’ve had to forge on without their captain, Dylan Larkin. The 29-year-old is expected to miss at least the next two weeks with a lower-body injury.

Alex DeBrincat leads the club with 33 goals, his 66 points have him tied for the team lead with the aforementioned Raymond. But after coming ever-so-close with 39 tallies a season ago, DeBrincat has a shot at his third career 40-plus goal campaign and first since he was a Blackhawk four seasons ago.

Make no mistake, though, the stretch run is crunch time for Detroit. The Red Wings will do everything they can to stay above that playoff bar, as they seek their first postseason berth since 2016.

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