Even with a win in a shootout against the Montreal Canadiens, the
Wings were unable to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Once again, the Detroit Red Wings found themselves on the outside looking in regarding playoff contention on Tuesday night, a bitter reality to accept.
In a thrilling match against the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit clinched a 5-4 victory in a shootout, rallying back after David Perron’s late goal in regulation tied the game.
Despite their impressive performance, it ultimately proved futile.
Detroit was in a tight race with the Washington Capitals for the East’s second wild-card position, both teams tallying 89 points. However, Washington held the edge with more regulation wins.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers, with 87 points, required a regulation win coupled with a Detroit loss to prolong their playoff hopes.
While the Red Wings celebrated Perron’s crucial goal, the Flyers, unaware of Detroit’s fate, took the risky move of pulling their goalie in a tied game against Washington, hoping for a regulation victory.
Yet, T.J. Oshie of the Capitals promptly capitalized on the empty net, securing a 2-1 lead for Washington and solidifying their playoff berth.
