from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,

So far this season, Detroit has already droppped 23 points to NHL teams that won’t be part of the playoff picture.

As they arrive in Pittsburgh for a Sunday showdown with the Penguins, the Red Wings are yet again facing a game in which they can’t allow the two points to escape their grasp. Seven points out of a playoff spot, Pittsburgh is almost done like dinner in terms of playoff participation.

The Penguins will be dead in the water if they lose this game, so the Red Wings should be anticipating that they’ll be getting the best that Pittsburgh has to offer....

With 15 games left in the regular season, on paper Detroit owns one of the softer remaining slates. Of those games, nine are against teams that currently wouldn’t be playoff participants. There’s another game against the Penguins, as well as a meeting with Columbus and a pair against Montreal among that schedule. But don’t go putting those points in the win column before the Red Wings are earning them.

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