from Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now,
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has been talking about the need for his team to put together a win streak to provide a boost in the playoff race.
The Red Wings have a chance to do that tonight when they play Edmonton Oilers.
If Coach Derek Lalonde’s squad wins this game, it would only be four points out of a playoff spot. Detroit would have 58 points and idle Washington, holding the last wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, would be at 62.
Detroit has won three games in a row, and it can match its longest winning streak of the season by beating the Connor McDavid-led Oilers. The Red Wings won four consecutive games in November (against San Jose, Columbus, Nashville and Arizona). But beating the Oilers will be no small accomplishment: They are 9-1-2 in their last 12 games....
“We’re a team we’ve talked about where we’re flirting with .500 most of the year. We’ve been unable to put a big streak together,” Lalonde said. “I understand that they way we are built, what we are. We’ve have to be good every night to win. The top teams in our league can have an off night and win. That’s not us. This just gives us an opportunity to build off something.”
Below, see the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.
Well, crazier things have happened. They do have 5 games in hand on 2 of the teams ahead of them, and 4 games in hand on Washington (wild card #2). So a lot of points on the table to grab, also means they will play a more compressed schedule than the teams they have to catch.
It's amazing how impactful it can be to string together some wins. I don't have the time to look, but I wonder the last time they won 3 in a row. It has to have been a few seasons ago, right?
They had 3- and 4-game winning streaks this season in November.
They had 3- and 5-game winning streaks last season, oddly enough both also in November.
They won 4 in a row in November.
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