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According to MoneyPuck.com, the Detroit Red Wings' playoff chances have dwindled to just 0.5%, following Tuesday's 4–1 loss in Montreal, yet the season continues and the schedule remains merciless. On Thursday night, the Red Wings pay a visit to the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, looking to win a battle in a war they may have already lost.
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Even at just four days remove, it will be a much different Panthers team to the one Detroit edged out 2–1 on Sunday. Defenseman Gustav Forsling and forwards Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart (all of them rested for that game) returned to the Florida lineup in Tuesday's win over the Maple Leafs. Forward Nico Sturm (acquired from San Jose at the trade deadline) is also expected to rejoin the lineup. Even with that slew of returns, the Panthers will still be without a handful of key contributors: Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Dmitry Kulikov, while Carter Verhaeghe is expected to be given the night off.
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Florida's playoff spot is assured, but the Cats will be looking to ward off a late surge from the Ottawa Senators to hold onto their present spot as the third seed out of the Atlantic Division, rather than slipping into a wild card position.
For Detroit, the evening is a matter of winning and hoping for the miracle requisite to spring it back to serious playoff contention. The Red Wings will be returning to Cam Talbot in net for that operation, while they may be forced into a lineup change should Elmer Soderblom (who did not take morning skate) prove unable to go, in which case Austin Watson would fold into the lineup.
The evening's game (a 7 PM puck drop) will air on its usual television homes: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit for in-market fans and ESPN+/Hulu for out-of-town fans.
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