NHL: Oilers block Wild's run for playoffs
Detroit • Jordin Tootoo netted the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and Johan Franzen scored on a power play with 6:26 left, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-1 win Wednesday night over the Los Angeles Kings and into eighth place in the Western Conference.
Detroit is one point ahead of Columbus and one behind seventh-place Minnesota. All three teams have two games remaining.
The Red Wings are aiming to extend their postseason streak to 22, the longest in North American professional sports.
Detroit's Jimmy Howard made 23 saves and Pavel Datsyuk scored a game-tying goal midway through the second period.
The Dallas Stars, who are four points behind Detroit, host Columbus on Thursday and Detroit on Saturday.
Detroit will also face the banged-up and already eliminated Nashville Predators on Thursday at home.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Kings are trying to finish fourth to earn home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They will host San Jose, which also has a chance to be fourth, on Saturday. EASTERN CONFERENCE
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
z-Pittsburgh 47 35 12 0 70 157 116
x-Boston 46 28 13 5 61 127 102
y-Washington 47 26 18 3 55 146 128
x-Montreal 47 28 14 5 61 145 125
x-Toronto 47 26 16 5 57 144 129
x-N.Y. Islanders 48 24 17 7 55 139 139
x-Ottawa 46 24 16 6 54 111 100
x-N.Y. Rangers 47 25 18 4 54 126 112
Winnipeg 48 24 21 3 51 128 144
New Jersey 47 19 18 10 48 112 125
Buffalo 48 21 21 6 48 125 143
Philadelphia 47 22 22 3 47 131 140
Carolina 47 19 24 4 42 125 152
Tampa Bay 47 18 25 4 40 145 145
Florida 47 14 27 6 34 107 168
WESTERN CONFERENCE
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
z-Chicago 47 36 6 5 77 154 99
y-Anaheim 47 30 11 6 66 137 113
y-Vancouver 47 26 14 7 59 125 114
x-St. Louis 47 28 17 2 58 126 114
x-Los Angeles 47 26 16 5 57 130 116
x-San Jose 47 25 15 7 57 122 113
Detroit 47 23 16 8 54 121 115
Minnesota 47 25 19 3 53 119 126
Columbus 47 23 17 7 53 117 118
Phoenix 47 20 18 9 49 120 128
Dallas 47 22 21 4 48 130 139
Edmonton 47 18 22 7 43 118 132
Calgary 48 19 25 4 42 128 160
Nashville 47 16 22 9 41 110 136
Colorado 47 16 24 7 39 115 149
Note • Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.
d-division leader x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division z-clinched conference
Friday's games
Buffalo 2, N.Y. Islanders 1, SO
Colorado 5, Phoenix 4, SO
Edmonton 6, Minnesota 1
Chicago 3, Calgary 1
Saturday's games
New Jersey at N.Y. Rangers, 1 p.m.
Detroit at Dallas, 5 p.m.
Nashville at Columbus, 5 p.m.
Florida at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m.
Boston at Washington, 5 p.m.
Philadelphia at Ottawa, 5 p.m.
Montreal at Toronto, 5 p.m.
Minnesota at Colorado, 5:30 p.m.
Carolina at Pittsburgh, 5:30 p.m.
Chicago at St. Louis, 6 p.m.
Phoenix at Anaheim, 8 p.m.
Vancouver at Edmonton, 8 p.m.
San Jose at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday's game
Ottawa at Boston, 5 p.m.
End of regular season