Red Wings squander opportunity to get ahead in wild-card race with upset loss to Rangers

The Detroit Red Wings could have moved into the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot with a win on Saturday. Instead, their upset 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers pushes them closer to extending a franchise-record playoff drought.

As the regular season winds down, the Red Wings (40-28-8) remain part of a four-team cluster with 88 points and tied for the East's second wild-card position, along with the Ottawa Senators (39-27-10), Columbus Blue Jackets (38-26-12) and Philadelphia Flyers (38-26-12).

Saturday marked something close to a must-win for Detroit considering its schedule over the final six games. The Rangers (32-36-9) are last in the Metropolitan but handily defeated the Red Wings, who scored their only goal with 33 seconds remaining. New York won 34-of-56 (60.7 percent) faceoffs and held Detroit without a goal in four power play opportunities.

Red Wings face uphill climb to make playoffs following loss to Rangers

Before the Winter Olympics break, the Red Wings were riding high at 33-19-6, appearing in decent shape to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016. But the team has nosedived in the 18 games since returning from the in-season stoppage, going 7-9-2.

Over its final six games, Detroit plays the Minnesota Wild (42-21-12), Blue Jackets, Flyers, New Jersey Devils (39-34-2), Tampa Bay Lightning (47-22-6) and Florida Panthers (37-35-3), giving it several more potential pitfalls before the regular season ends on April 15.

The Red Wings' loss wasn't bad news for everyone. The result clinched a spot in the postseason for the Buffalo Sabres, snapping the longest playoff drought in NHL history. But that also moved Detroit up a rung, making it the NHL franchise with the longest active postseason drought.

It's been a drastic change in fortune for an organization with 11 Stanley Cup titles, and the tide might still be going against the Red Wings. Unless they can quickly rediscover their early-season form, they'll once again be on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin.