Detroit Red Wings

Detroit @ Tampa Bay... tonight at 7;30.

(AP) -- With Niklas Kronwall back and Dylan Larkin enjoying a historic rookie season, the Detroit Red Wings are feeling good about extending their run of consecutive playoff berths.

That might not happen, though, unless they can change their recent road fortunes against Tampa Bay.

The Red Wings look to win their third straight and end a five-game slide at Amalie Arena on Tuesday night when the Lightning continue a pursuit of their first division title in 12 years.

Detroit (36-25-11) looked like it might be falling out of the postseason chase after dropping nine of 14 in a stretch that ended with a 4-3 loss at Philadelphia on March 15.

The club has since regrouped, winning its last two and moving ahead of the Flyers for the Eastern Conference's final wild-card spot with Saturday's 5-3 victory at Florida.

"We need to continue to build," goaltender Jimmy Howard said. "It's another step in the right direction."

Kronwall provided a lift with two assists after he had missed the previous three games with a sprained right knee. The Red Wings are 11-4-1 in their last 16 games in which the defenseman has played.

"Well, first of all, he's an elite leader," coach Jeff Blashill told the team's official website. "Nik's a big part of our team, has been for a long time."

 

[video]https://youtu.be/8hX9_UO7fkc[/video]

 

Wings beat the Habs, 4-3. It was waaaaaaaay to close in the end.

 

Mantha's first NHL goal brings grandfather to tears
Four-time Stanley Cup winner Andre Pronovost gets emotional after Detroit rookie scores

Rookie Anthony Mantha brought Detroit Red Wings' fans to their feet Thursday when he scored his first NHL goal in a 4-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens. The goal also brought his grandfather, former Red Wings and Canadiens forward Andre Pronovost, to tears.

Pronovost, a left wing who won the Stanley Cup four times in a row with the Canadiens (1957-60) and later played three seasons with the Red Wings, was caught on camera with a tear in his eye as Mantha's family celebrated the goal.

"It's unbelievable," Mantha told the Red Wings website. "Obviously my grandparents were very happy, my parents also. My friends were probably jumping. One of my buddies told me he was going to go around the rink screaming if I scored."

The goal by Mantha, the Red Wings' first-round pick (No. 20) in the 2013 NHL Draft, gave Detroit a 4-0 lead with 2:33 left in the second period and turned out to be the game-winner after Montreal scored three goals in the third.

"I didn't think it was going to be a game-winner at first," he said, "but we had to battle through that third period and ended up winning the game so it's huge."

 

DETROIT -- Riley Sheahan scored two goals and the Detroit Red Wings held off the Montreal Canadiens for a 4-3 win at Joe Louis Arena on Thursday.

Luke Glendening also scored and Anthony Mantha got his first career NHL goal for Detroit (37-26-11). Mike Green had two assists and Petr Mrazek made 26 saves.

Detroit, which has made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the past 24 seasons, are tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the second wild card, but the Flyers have a game in hand. The Red Wings are one point behind the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division with a game in hand.

 

[video]https://youtu.be/LnyT5TcoAXA[/video]

 

Pittsburgh bombs the Wings, 7-2.

 

[video]https://youtu.be/14-Wy1bHM4U[/video]

 

[video]https://youtu.be/EJzmQStsgwA[/video]

 

They coulda spent more time talking about the Sabres, but I enjoyed the preview.

 

I thought about posting on the Sabres board, but i knew it was going to be Red Wings laden and one-sided.

Good luck tonight... im stoked for this one.

 

The Sabres board is laden with me. I think I'm the only Buffalo fan here. What we're lacking in volume, I try to make up in noise.

 

Ya, it's slim-pickens here too. I might be the only Wings fan left.

 

Good luck to you, Will. I hate it when Buffalo loses any game. (The last few years have been rough.). But, I hate it less when they lose to certain teams - the Wings are in that small group.

 

Wings win, 3-2. Still on the outside looking in.

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings almost let a 3-0 lead with three minutes remaining slip away, but held on to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 at Joe Louis Arena on Monday.

The Red Wings remain tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the second wild-card in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in overtime Monday and hold the tie-breaker since they have a game in hand. The Red Wings, fourth in the Atlantic Division, moved to within a point of the third-place Boston Bruins.

Dylan Larkin, Riley Sheahan and Luke Glendening scored for Detroit (38-27-11). Henrik Zetterberg had two assists and Jimmy Howard made 18 saves.

"I thought we had to be good. I thought we were. ? obviously, until the very end there," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I thought we played a good game, we didn't give them much, didn't give up many shots, didn't give up a whole lots of chances. Obviously there's still corrections we can make with some mistakes. Overall, I thought it was good."

 

Wings vs Canadiens... tonight @ 7:30.

 

[video]https://youtu.be/JBafoiPOk-Q[/video]

 

Red Wings and Wild, tonight at 7:30.

Must win game.