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With nothing left in the standings to play for, the Detroit Red Wings traveled to the Sunshine State for their two final games of the 2025-26 NHL regular season.
In their penultimate game of the campaign, they suffered a 4-3 overtime setback against the Tampa Bay Lightning after Nikita Kucherov scored just 27 seconds into the extra session.
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The Red Wings, who trailed 3-1 at the beginning of the third period, rallied with goals from Marco Kasper and Alex DeBrincat, but despite outshooting the host Lightning, they weren’t able to pick up the winning goal.
Not only did Detroit outshoot Tampa Bay, but they also refused to lie down and stop competing, which head coach Todd McLellan noticed.
“I thought they were prepared and willing to play from minute one on through, and if it wasn’t there, I don’t think you’d see us come back,” McLellan said. “I give them credit for competing hard and playing to the end.”
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Even though Monday’s game against the Lightning and their regular season finale against the Florida Panthers both mean nothing in the standings, McLellan gave the club credit for playing hard rather than mailing it in with nothing left to play for.
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“I’m not gonna sit here and say the guys were all full of piss and vinegar early in the morning; it is what it is right now,” said McLellan. “You have to play out the schedule, and there’s always concern our guys will play safe, but they were real competitive and I give them credit for that.
“When you’re in the thick of it, and you’re playing for your lives, the intensity is different, and the pressure is different,” he continued. “But when you’re done, and you have six periods of hockey left, it changes quickly.”
The Red Wings will face the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night in their 82nd and final game of their centennial campaign.
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