Red Wings eliminated from NHL playoff picture with 5-3 loss to Devils

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Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson (77) moves the puck away from New Jersey Devils center Dawson Mercer, back right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan, center, watches the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) — Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson (77) moves the puck away from New Jersey Devils center Dawson Mercer, back right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

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7:46 PM on Saturday, April 11

By LARRY LAGE

DETROIT (AP) — Jesper Bratt’s scored his second goal with 3:34 left in the third period, helping the New Jersey Devils eliminate the Detroit Red Wings from the NHL playoff picture with a 5-3 win on Saturday.

Detroit extended the league's longest active postseason drought, dating to the 2016 season when the franchise earned a berth for the 25th consecutive season in what was a remarkable run that included four Stanley Cup championships.

The Red Wings were in a playoff position for 148 days of the season, according to Sportradar, to raise expectations higher than they've been since the hockey-crazed state has experienced the playoffs a long time ago.

They went ahead against New Jersey in the first, second and third periods — and lost every lead.

On an odd-man rush, Bratt scored the go-ahead goal from the left circle off a perfect pass from Jack Hughes in the right circle with John Gibson flailing around in an attempt to stop the puck. Dawson Mercer added an empty-net goal with a minute left.

Gibson had 27 saves for the Red Wings and Jake Allen stopped 25 shots for the Devils.

Detroit’s Justin Faulk broke a scoreless tie midway through the opening period.

Olympic hero Hughes, playing about 25 miles from where he skated in high school at USA Hockey Arena, scored his 27th goal of the season a minute later.

The Red Wings went back ahead on David Perron's goal with 8:01 left in the second period, but failed to keep the lead again. Bratt scored a game-tying goal, giving him at least 21 for a fifth straight season.

Emmitt Finnie scored a tiebreaking goal seven minutes into the third to put the Red Wings ahead again, but Cody Glass pulled the Devils into another tie midway through the period.

Up next

Devils: Host Ottawa on Sunday.

Red Wings: At Tampa Bay on Monday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl