Red Wings' 25-season playoff streak ends in Carolina
Detroit won four Stanley Cups in quarter century of post-season play
The NHL's model franchise will go back to the drawing board.
After 25 consecutive years of being in the playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings were officially eliminated after losing 4-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The loss ends a historic post-season streak in which the franchise won four Stanley Cups (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008).
A historic playoff streak that lasted 25 seasons. Congrats to the <a href="https://twitter.com/DetroitRedWings">@DetroitRedWings</a> organization on an incredible run. <a href="https://t.co/6JdVU4He8F">pic.twitter.com/6JdVU4He8F</a>
—@NHLLee Stempniak and Joakim Nordstrom scored for Carolina about five minutes apart in the first period, the teams' second meeting in two nights.
Jordan Staal and Elias Lindholm also scored for Carolina and Cam Ward stopped 21 shots. The Hurricanes have earned a point in 12 straight games (8-0-4) to move four points out of the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.
The Red Wings beat the Hurricanes on Monday in a makeup game rescheduled from Dec. 19 when a Freon leak at PNC Arena made for unplayable ice. Tuesday's contest was regularly scheduled.
The postponement resulted in three games in the three days for the Red Wings. They won the first two but visibly struggled with their energy in the finale to snap a four-game point streak.
Tomas Nosek scored his first NHL goal and Jimmy Howard made 29 saves for Detroit.
With files from CBC Sports