Red Wings Officially Eliminated from NHL Playoffs

It’s official Detroit Red Wings fans – not that you didn’t already know this day was coming. On Thursday, the Wings were officially eliminated from the NHL playoffs.

Captain Dylan Larkin tied a career high for goals, Lucas Raymond elevated himself into some select company, but the Red Wings still couldn’t beat the Buffalo Sabres. A 7-6 shootout loss to the Sabres, coupled with wins by the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers, assured that Detroit wouldn’t be a Stanley Cup participant for the seventh successive spring.

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— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 7, 2023

That ties the franchise record for missing out on postseason play. The Red Wings were also absentees from the tournament for Lord Stanley’s mug from 1970-71 through 1976-77, the dark days of the Dead Wings era.

Red Wings Captain Ties Career High

Larkin was among the Detroit goal scorers. That gives him 32 goals on the season, tying the career high he set in 2018-19. Right-winger Lucas Raymond dished out a trio of assists, moving him beyond 100 NHL points. At 21 years and nine days of age, he’s the third-fastest players in franchise history to 100 career points, following current Detroit GM Steve Yzerman (19 years, 274 days) and Mr. Hockey himself, Gordie Howe (20 years, 350 days).

David Perron’s goal with one minute left in regulation time sent the game to overtime.

Jonatan Berggren, with his 15th of the season, Simon Edvinsson, with his second NHL goal, Alex Chiasson and Austin Czarnik also netted goals for Detroit. It was Czarnik’s 50th NHL point.

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Detroit goalie Ville Husso foiled Buffalo’s Alex Tuch on a first-period penalty shot after Larkin was caught hooking Tuch on a breakaway. Husso is three-for-three at stopping penalty shots this season. Tuch would later score the winner in the shootout.

The Red Wings were 0-2-2 against the Sabres this season. Buffalo scored 25 goals over the four-game span. It’s the first time since 2016-17 that the Sabres have won four in a row against Detroit. Buffalo is 10-1-5 in its past 16 games against the Wings. Detroit swept the season series from Buffalo in 2021-22, but three of the four games went to overtime.