Detroit — The playoff chase keeps getting tougher by the evening for the Red Wings.
They earned a point Tuesday, which is fine, except several of the teams around them earned two points with victories. That’s not going to get the Red Wings into the playoffs.
Grosse Pointe’s Zach Werenski won a shootout in the fifth round Tuesday, sending Columbus to a 4-3 victory over the Wings.
The shootout loss, coupled with Ottawa’s victory, put the Wings three points behind the Senators (92-89) in the playoff chase, with Columbus (90 points) also moving ahead of the Wings. The New York Islanders also have 89 points, tied with the Wings, though the Wings are ahead of the Islanders via the tiebreaker with more regulation time victories (29-28).
With four games remaining for all these teams, it’s beginning to look extremely dire for the Wings.
“That’s a disappointing finish to that game,” said captain Dylan Larkin, who scored his 31st goal in the first period, on the power play. “I hope that’s not the one, or Minnesota (Sunday’s loss) isn’t the one that is the final nail in the coffin. I hope we get some help and may have something to play for to get in.
“We felt we had to get a certain record (in these final games) and we pretty much have to win out. We just have to keep playing and win and put ourselves in a good spot as we can and get help.”
Adam Fantilli scored with 17 seconds left in regulation time, and the Blue Jackets having pulled their goalie, tying the game 3-3, Fantilli’s 23rd goal. Fantilli’s blast went off the skate of Moritz Seider and past goaltender John Gibson.
The Wings’ J.T. Compher won three consecutive faceoffs, but on the fourth lost, and the Jackets worked the puck to Fantilli, the former Michigan star, for the one-timer.
BOX SCORE: Blue Jackets 4, Red Wings 3 (SO)
“They executed and scored and we couldn’t get our guys off the ice (because of consecutive icings),” coach Todd McLellan said. “J.T. did a real good job in the faceoff circle the two or three prior, but that’s the way it goes. It was really the only chance we gave up six-on-five, that opportunity.
“It wasn’t our night.”
McLellan was disappointed in several aspects of the Wings’ game in recent losses. But McLellan largely liked what he saw Tuesday out of the Wings.
“I liked our effort,” McLellan said. “We didn’t like going down 1-0 that quick (2:06 into the game) but in the past few weeks when that happened, we’ve gone away for a little while and all of a sudden it’s two or three (goals against). We got back into the game. Not a lot of complaints about the effort and intensity. It felt like an even game.
“A lot of battles and blocked shots. Those are good signs for our team. We got a point and that point may keep us alive. There’s still points on the table. We’re in must win territory and we’re still there.”
Justin Faulk gave the Wings a brief late lead in regulation with his second goal of the night and 14th of the season at 15:14, making it 3-2 Wings. After an Andrew Copp faceoff win late in the third period the puck got to Faulk near the high slot and Faulk whistled his third goal with the Wings.
“Not a great feeling at all,” said Faulk of the shootout loss. “We know the situation we’re in. It’s tough to let that one get away from us there at the end of the third period and let them get back in it. Shootout is a crapshoot, really.”
Danton Heinen and Werenski also scored for Columbus.
Heinen opened the scoring at 2:06 of the first period. Axel Sandin-Pellikka’s behind-the-back pass behind the net was intercepted by Mason Marchment, who found Heinen all alone in front of Gibson, Heinen scoring his sixth goal.
But the Wings answered with Larkin scoring on the power play. Larkin’s attempted pass across the slot was blocked and the puck went right back to him, with Larkin quickly snapping his 31st goal past goalie Jet Greaves at 10:27 of the first period.
The Wings took the lead on Faulk’s first goal of the night, in the second period. Faulk split the Columbus defensive pairing of Jake Christiansen and Erik Gudbranson and snapped a shot past Greaves at 6:27.
Columbus, though, tied the game midway in the period. Werenski, on the power play, whistled a shot from the point that eluded Gibson, Werenski’s 22nd goal, at 10:59.
The Wings are likely to be without forward Michael Rasmussen again. After having missed nine games before returning Saturday in New York, Rasmussen reinjured himself Tuesday after blocking a shot. Rasmussen only played 7:57 on 10 shifts, blocking four shots.
“He’s probably going to miss a few more games again,” McLellan said. “He blocked a shot basically in the same spot. I don’t know if he’s starting over or not, but he couldn’t return and I’ll doubt he’ll practice (Wednesday).”
tkulfan@detroitnews.com
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Red Wings lose ground in shootout defeat: ‘It wasn’t our night’
Reporting by Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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