Sunrise, Fla. — There’s absolutely no margin of error left for the Red Wings.

None.

After Thursday’s 4-1 loss in Florida, it leaves the Wings with a bit less of hope than when they entered the Panthers’ home rink — and there wasn’t a ton of hope before the game began either.

“Looking for the next opportunity but we’re running out of opportunities,” captain Dylan Larkin said.

BOX SCORE: Panthers 4, Red Wings 1

The Wings (79 points) trail Montreal (87) by eight points. Both teams have four games remaining. One more point that Montreal earns eliminates the Wings. Or the Wings simply earning anything less than eight points in the four games also eliminates the Wings for the ninth consecutive season from the playoffs.

The odds are slim, beyond slim. But they maintain they aren’t giving in to the hopelessness.

“For the past couple of weeks we’ve been watching the standings and we were right there,” said Alex DeBrincat, who scored the Wings’ lone goal. “It’s tough. There’s still (a chance), we have to come out ready to play and give it our best shot. We still have an opportunity.

“We have to go out and win the rest of our games.”

DeBrincat scored his 36th goal in the first period, giving the Wings a 1-0 lead. Larkin, from behind the net, centered a pass for DeBrincat in the slot, who quickly snapped a shot past goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

But the Panthers roared back with three second period goals and Aleksander Barkov made it 4-1 with his 20th goal at 14:03 of the third period, deflecting Seth Jones’ shot.

“I liked our start,” coach Todd McLellan said. “Usually in this building you have to play a pretty intense 10-minute game (to start) and we played that well. We came out it with a lead, but the (second) period our shift length got away from us and we got tired and made some poor decisions and it’s in our net.

“They check so well, they get good goaltending and you’re not coming back at 3-1 or 4-1 and that was our night.”

The Wings, arguably, played a stronger game Tuesday in the 4-1 loss in Montreal. Once the Panthers got the lead, they dictated the game and made it difficult for the Wings to rally.

“They get the lead and they’re like Carolina, they rim the pucks and hunt and chase and we didn’t have an answer for it,” Larkin said. “Tonight wasn’t up to the standards that we have and that’s frustrating, that’s hard to say. The goals we gave up, it’s details.”

Goaltender Cam Talbot stopped 27 shots, while making his sixth consecutive start for the Wings.

This was a deeper, more experienced Panthers’ lineup than the one Florida brought Sunday to Little Caesars Arena, which was a 2-1 Wings’ victory, and with the Panthers still fighting for playoff seeding, the Wings expected a tougher test.

“We had many more opportunities in Montreal,” McLellan said. “Glorious opportunities. We can’t stay that tonight. There’s a reason they (the Panthers) have won the past and have a chance to win again.

“We need more from individual players in certain situations. Throughout our whole time we’ve been here (McLellan and assistant coach Trent Yawney were hired Dec. 26), it’s just you need more, and if they’re capable of giving it than we have to draw it out of them. But if they’re not capable of giving it, we have to look at what we can do here.”

Florida’s Evan Rodrigues (power play) tied it at 2:58 of the second period on a scramble in front of Talbot, the 15th goal for Rodrigues. Mackie Samoskevich gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead with his 15th goal at 8:46 wheeling in the slot and snapping a shot past Talbot. Then Brad Marchand capped the onslaught with his 22nd goal — but first as a Florida Panther — scoring on a partial breakaway at 16:21.

McLellan was realistic about the playoff chances, or lack thereof afterward. The final four games, in his estimation, come down to pride.

“Playing for the crest in front,” McLellan said. “Our action or inaction are directly reflective of individuals, of your individual character. You have family and fans and teammates watching you and if you’re out (of the playoff chase), you have a tendency to say, ‘OK, we’re done’ and you mail it in. That’s not acceptable. You put yourself and your own personal game on the line for the next four games.

“The story for the playoffs is certainly written. But the season isn’t done and the evaluation goes on. That’s what we’re writing now.”

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan

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