The Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings will have the playoffs on their minds when they meet Sunday in Detroit.
The Red Wings hope for one last surge to reach the postseason for the first time since 2016. Detroit (35-33-7, 77 points) is six points behind Montreal for the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
With a game at Montreal coming up on Tuesday, a win against the Panthers would provide Detroit with momentum.
The game against Florida also will be important for Detroit because it will be the team’s second-to-last home contest of the regular season.
The Red Wings will finish by playing five of their last six games on the road, so taking advantage of a home game would be helpful as they look for a return to the playoffs. Detroit missed out on a postseason berth by one point last year in a race that came down to the final game of the regular season.
“The story is not done yet,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “We can still write another chapter or two, so let’s get playing the way we can. Last year’s experience with this group, I’m sure it helps. It can’t hurt. We’ve been through this before so let’s keep pushing.”
Detroit is coming off a 5-3 victory at home over Carolina on Friday.
“Obviously a similar team to Carolina,” Red Wings forward Patrick Kane said of the Panthers. “A lot of pressure and good on the penalty kill. Same type of penalty kill with a lot of pressure. They can frustrate you. (They’re the) Stanley Cup champs, so it will be a good test.”
While Detroit is looking just to get into the playoffs, Florida is looking to gain home-ice advantage for the postseason.
Following Saturday’s games, including Florida’s 3-0 loss at Ottawa, the Panthers (44-28-4, 92 points) are two points behind Tampa Bay for second place in the Atlantic Division and six behind Toronto for first.
The Panthers are in a comfortable spot for a playoff berth as they prepare to defend their Stanley Cup crown, but they are on a four-game losing streak.
Sunday will be the second game of a back-to-back set for the Panthers, something that has been a common occurrence of late for them.
“Twenty of our last 44 games were played like that,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, referring to back-to-back games on the schedule. “So we’re feeling it a little bit. But that’s a good thing. That’s a good thing to go through.”
This will be the second of three meetings between the teams this season. The third and final one will take place in Florida on Thursday.
Detroit beat Florida in the only other meeting this season, 5-2 on Jan. 16.
–Field Level Media
