The NHL playoff race is heating up in the Eastern Conference. The Atlantic Division is the best in hockey. Five of the eight teams currently in a postseason spot in the East are from the Atlantic.
The Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins occupy those slots. The Columbus Blue Jackets will enter play on Thursday night just two games behind the Bruins for the final wild-card spot.
With a condensed schedule this season because of the Olympic break, games are going to come fast and furious for all teams. That includes the Bruins and Red Wings, who have one game remaining on March 21 in Detroit. That will be a huge game for the playoff picture. On Thursday, the Red Wings got some tough injuries surrounding two key forwards.
Red Wings hit with injury news ahead of tight playoff race
It was announced on Thursday, according to Detroit Red Wings reporter Jonathan Mills, by head coach Todd McLellan, following Thursday’s morning skate in Tampa Bay, both captain Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp are “gonna be two weeks..will reassess them then.”
Larkin had 28 goals and 27 assists this season in 63 games for Detroit, and Copp has eight goals and 29 assists in 65 games. Larkin last played for the Red Wings last Friday night in a 3-1 loss at home to the Florida Panthers when he suffered a knee injury. As for Copp, his injury occurred in the same game when former Bruins forward Tomas Nosek fell on his leg during a faceoff.
Both losses are coming at a bad time for Detroit who will visit Tampa Bay on Thursday night before playing the Dallas Stars on the road on Saturday night. The Red Wings begin play on Thursday night one point ahead of the Bruins for the first wild-card spot in the East.