Detroit Red Wings Have Some Breathing Room Now, But Don't Exhale Yet

On Monday night, we saw the Detroit Red Wings do something they haven't done much of this season: win a third straight game.

For the second time in as many weeks, the Red Wings squared-off against the Calgary Flames with an opportunity to jump ahead of them in the standings by three points, and thus, acquiring the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The first time, they failed to seize the opportunity and ended up one point below Calgary in the ninth slot.

This time, they weathered an early deficit, a penalty-shot, and a four-minute Flames power play long enough to win the game and secure a three-point cushion in the standings between them and their opponent.

With less than a month left to go until the end of the regular season, now is a perfect time for the Wings to start pulling away from the teams just below them fighting for the final playoff spot Detroit currently occupies.

For the first time since starting their season in Sweden, the Red Wings have a healthy roster, solid goal-tending, and special teams that rank in the top 10 of the NHL.

The Wings are 7-2-1 over their past 10 games and now, finally, appear to be gaining a tighter grip on a playoff spot.

But, as good as things are going for the Red Wings, now is hardly a time to let off the gas.

The Wings are going to have a few days to relax in western Canada before they resume their road trip against the lowly Edmonton Oilers.

However, the Red Wings must make sure that the R-and-R is done and over with before the puck drops in Rexall Place on Friday night.

Though Calgary is now three points behind Detroit, the Flames will play Colorado on Wednesday night, a win over whom would put them right back on Detroit's heels, with just a one-point separation.

Like Detroit, Calgary also plays on Friday night, against the Western Conference-leading San Jose Sharks.

Now, clearly, the Flames have their work cut out for them, as wins over the Avalanche and the Sharks will not come easy, if at all.

However, should Calgary manage to win these games, even granting that Detroit gets two points out of Edmonton, its three-point cushion would shrink back to one.

But let's not gloss over that Edmonton game too quickly.

Yes, the Oilers are a vastly inferior team to, well, everyone else in the league, and are now playing for pride, if they're playing for anything at all.

It would be perfectly understandable if the Red Wings decided to take it a little easy on Friday night so as to leave something in the tank when they meet up with Vancouver on Saturday.

Understandable, and stupid.

With things going so well and the playoffs looking more and more like a reality, how stupid would it be to turn in a half-assed effort against Edmonton and set the stage for a shocking defeat at the hands of the league's worst team?

Don't shrug off that possibility so quickly; it's happened before. 

Now, near the end of the season, is when some teams start looking to spread a little of their misery around on other teams looking to get into the playoffs or improve their positioning.

How sweet would it be for the Oilers to rob the Wings of a fourth-straight win (their longest streak of the season) and throw all kinds of doubt over their playoff push?

With nothing left to lose, the Edmonton Oilers are now looking to become the Edmonton Spoilers, and a win over Detroit would be a very big bright spot in an otherwise dark season.

Should Detroit simply match Edmonton's effort, a Red Wings win is assured, as equal effort and superior talent is almost always enough to secure a win in the NHL.

However, the Red Wings cannot take any team for granted at this point, even the Oilers.  

And despite their current position, they cannot afford to allow Calgary or any team below them to get any closer than they already are.

The Red Wings look to be on a roll and are breathing a little easier now, but now is not the time to exhale.