Detroit Red Wings may have fixed latest swoon. But time is running out on playoff push

TAMPA, Fla. — The Detroit Red Wings eye a home stand after a grueling trip ended with a celebration.

"It's going to be a happy flight, something we haven't had recently, which is awesome," David Perron said after netting the winning goal in the 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. "I think everyone is firing on all cylinders in our team game right now, and we have to keep pushing."

Monday's outing at Amalie Arena gave the Wings (37-30-8) four points on the trip — enough to get them to 82 points, but still just on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. It was their first road victory since Feb. 25, and goaltender Alex Lyon's first victory since Feb. 27.

"For me, it was very satisfying," Lyon said. "It's been a while. It's just great. And I say that sarcastically. We're about getting there. We have to take it a day at a time and a game at a time.

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"Our focus remains the same. We just have to go one day at a time. That was a big win for us, and we can enjoy that on the flight home, and then we have to get back after it."

The Wings are desperate to climb the standings after their disastrous March, when they banked just eight points in 14 games, undone by inexplicably bad starts and shoddy team performances. They've finally gotten that straightened out, but now they only have seven games left.

"We've been building our game and the games have been tight, the games have been really hard," Dylan Larkin said. "We got the bounces and were hungry around their net and got the big goal, and that's what we've been missing.

"As we've gone along on this road trip, we've gotten more comfortable in the moment and we really kind of settled in. We know what these games are going to be like and kind of calmed down a little bit and been able to make more plays and execute better.

"I think it's repeatable because we've been doing it. We've been playing hard."

The Wings next play Friday against the New York Rangers, which begins a home stand that continues Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres and then April 9 against the Washington Capitals. The Wings head on the road to play the Pittsburgh Penguins April 11 and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 13, host the Montreal Canadiens April 15, and finish the regular season April 16 in Montreal.

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Last season, it took 92 points to make the playoffs in the East. There are 14 points available to the Wings, and they're showing resolve to do what they can to make it in.

"Our guys were battling," coach Derek Lalonde said. "This was an unbelievably difficult road trip. You're talking at Carolina, at Florida, at Tampa. We've pointed in three of our last four on the road. I'm just really proud of the group. A lot of adversity all year, a lot of ups and downs, and we've just kept in the fight, we've kept battling."

The Wings can't afford any letup. The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers are neck-for-neck in positioning for the third spot in the Metropolitan Division and the second wild card spot, with the Wings, New York Islanders, and, still, the Penguins, all within a handful of points.

Lyon said that, "I actively try not to see what else is going on around the league. For me as a goalie, that's the best way. I want to continue to think about the right things and focus on the process."

It's all the Wings can do, really: Stay in the moment and keep playing to their strengths.

"It's so rewarding right now," Perron said. "Not only that we won, and we got a point last game, but it's the way we do it."

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her @helenestjames.

Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from  Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.

Next up: Rangers

Matchup: Red Wings (37-30-8) vs. N.Y. Rangers (50-21-4).

Faceoff: 7 p.m. Friday; Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.

TV/radio: Bally Sports Detroit Extra; WXYT-FM (97.1).

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings may be fixed. But time is running out on playoffs