With 12 games left, Detroit Red Wings have one plan: 'Force our luck'

Todd McLellan acknowledged the dichotomy: Here the Detroit Red Wings coach was, discussing what he liked about the performance – and yet they didn't bank any points. The Wings have a bit of a breather before their third straight game against an Atlantic Division opponent, at a time when their foothold inside the playoffs is precarious. At 38-24-8, their 84 points have them holding the second wild-card berth, with the New York Islanders only a point behind and the Ottawa Senators – that next opponent at Little Caesars Arena, on Tuesday, March 24 – three points behind.

As the runway shortens – the Wings have 12 games left – and the standings remain snug, the awareness of their situation fuels the locker room attitude. THE ROAD AHEAD: Detroit Red Wings' path to playoffs looks bumpy but doable. Here's how "We're in a great spot to fight our own battles," defenseman Moritz Seider said.

"I think that has to be the message. The last couple of years, we were waiting for help, and now it's all in our hands. We've got enough games left to force our luck.

"I think it's a great opportunity, great challenge for us. " They'd just lost the challenge presented by the Boston Bruins, falling 4-2 thanks in no small part to Jeremy Swayman making 21 saves in the third period, among 41 total. The winning goal was a bad one, with Simon Edvinsson backing down as Nikita Zadorov approached the net.