The Daily: Red Wings Still Feel the Heat; Preds Tie Record

The Detroit Red Wings’ dramatic comeback win only earned them a 24-hour respite from the angst-ridden Eastern Conference wild card race. Detroit is above the playoff line this morning, but the Red Wings will be below it tonight if the Washington Capitals beat the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Red Wings have a one-point lead over Washington, but the Capitals have two games in hand.  The Capitals and their captain Alex Ovechkin are heating up. They have won three in a row.

Meanwhile, the New York Islanders have helped Detroit with their five-game losing streak. Thanks to their 0-4-1 slump, the Islanders are three points behind Detroit going into Thursday’s meeting between the two teams on Thursday. New York fell 4-1 to Carolina on Tuesday.

Islanders coach Patrick Roy isn’t thrilled with the play of goalie Ilya Sorokin. The passionate coach called out Sorokin Tuesday morning.

“I’m not 100% pleased with [his play],” Roy said after the team’s morning skate. “It’s obvious, and I’m sure he’s not [pleased with] himself.”

Meanwhile, the Red Wings’ talk is about building on the face they have won two of their last three games.  “Just trying to build off of this and keep it going,” said Lucas Raymond, Detroit’s hottest player.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Coach Derek Lalonde thought his team had quit against the Columbus Blue Jackets. They had not, and rallied from behind to pull out a 4-3 overtime triumph.
• The Red Wings are struggling, but Lucas Raymond is surging. He has seven goals in his past five games as he continues to develop into a star.
• It’s unlikely Dylan Larkin plays before the weekend, but the Red Wings will know more after today’s practice.
• GM Steve Yzerman recalled defenseman Simon Edvinsson from the Grand Rapids Griffins. Fans have been waiting for this.

Red Wings Next Game

Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders is a huge contest. The Islanders’ recent struggles have allowed the Red Wings to keep their head above water in the playoff race. But a loss Thursday would leave Detroit without any breathing room as they head off on a critical road trip.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: David Pastrnak registers hat trick to pass Cam Neely on Boston Bruins‘ goals list.

Chicago: Connor Bedard ties Jonathan Toews’ Chicago Blackhawks‘ rookie record. Nate Brown has story.

Colorado: Avalanche organization mourns death of former player Chris Simon. Colorado Avalanche.

Florida: What’s wrong with the Florida Panthers? Colby Guy explores the issue.

Nashville: Predators’ tie franchise of earning at least one point in 15 consecutive games. The Nashville Predators accomplished that with an 8-2 win against the San Jose Sharks.

Pittsburgh: Coach Mike Sullivan: “We have to defend harder.” Pittsburgh Penguins running out of games to make a playoff push.