Red Wings fail to gain in East wild card race with loss to Blues

DETROIT --The Detroit Red Wings failed to gain ground in the wild card race when they lost for the fourth time in their past five games, 4-3 to the St. Louis Blues at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday.

The Red Wings remained nine points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Pittsburgh lost 3-2 at the Dallas Stars on Thursday.
Simon Edvinsson scored his first NHL goal for Detroit (31-31-9), which is 3-10-1 in its past 14 games.
Magnus Hellberg allowed three goals on 13 shots before being relieved at 12:40 of the second period by Alex Nedeljkovic, who made eight saves. Nedeljkovic played his first NHL game since Dec. 8 after being recalled on an emergency basis from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League earlier Thursday.
"I loved our start, but I'm really disappointed with the way we handled giving up the goals," Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. "Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves for four or five minutes after every goal, we have to go play the right way."

Robert Bortuzzo had two assists, and Joel Hofer made 25 saves for St. Louis (32-33-6), which extended its point streak to four games (3-0-1), including a 3-2 shootout loss to Detroit on Tuesday.
"We're doing a lot of good things," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "We need to keep building from here."
Edvinsson gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead 38 seconds into the first period when his centering pass from the left face-off circle went in off the skate of Justin Faulk.
Selected in the first round (No. 6) in the 2021 NHL Draft, Edvinsson was playing his third NHL game after being promoted from Grand Rapids on March 17 on an emergency basis.
"I'll be happy about the goal tomorrow, but tonight is about losing," Edvinsson said. "I felt for myself, taking two penalties, it wasn't good enough."

Jake Walman scored 50 seconds later on a wrist shot at 1:28 to make it 2-0.
"They came out quickly and I don't think we were ready to go," St. Louis defenseman Colton Parayko said. "We knew there was a lot of time left and we just had to start playing the right way."
Alexey Toropchenko cut it to 2-1 at 9:53, scoring on a wrist shot from the point that beat Hellberg blocker side for his first goal in 13 games.
"I was a little surprised when it went in," Toropchenko said. "The puck was rolling a little and I was just trying to get something on net."

Brayden Schenn tied it 2-2 at 3:31 of the second period, deflecting a point shot by Jordan Kyrou out of midair.
Sammy Blais gave the Blues a 3-2 lead on a rebound from atop the crease at 12:40, and Jake Neighbours made it 4-2 when he received a stretch pass from Bortuzzo and scored on a breakaway at 14:08.
"We've talked a lot about shooting more pucks from outside and getting a screen in front," Berube said. "We get [Toropchenko's] goal, then we get a tipped goal off a screen, and then we get a rebound goal off a screen. That's good stuff."
Alex Chiasson scored at 17:44 of the third period from in front during a 6-on-5 for the 4-3 final.
NOTES:Blues forward Robert Thomas was a late scratch due to illness. Berube said he doesn't expect him to miss any more time. … Detroit forward Dylan Larkin extended his point streak to four games (one goal, three assists). … St. Louis defenseman Nick Leddy, forward Jakub Vrana and goalie Thomas Greiss were honored in the first period for their time in Detroit. Berube dressed Greiss as the backup instead of Jordan Binnington because he played for Detroit. … Hofer is 3-0-1 in four starts this season. … Blues defenseman Torey Krug did not make the trip after his wife gave birth.