The Detroit Red Wings turned it on late, again, after they’d been booed at home for giving up four straight goals.

They chipped away at the Minnesota Wild’s lead starting near the midpoint of the third period on Sunday, April 5, earnings cheers from fans at Little Caesars Arena not that long after jeers had greeted their departure for the second intermission. But that’s what playing with energy and emotion and drive can accomplish – a lesson the Wings would be smart to employ sooner in games. Because ultimately the rally was too little, too late, as the Wild won, 5-4.

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The Wings (40-28-8, 88 points) remain on the outside of the playoff cutoff with five games left. They lost both games over the weekend, and six of their last eight. Since the start of March, the Wings have gone 6-9-2, banking just 14 of a possible 34 points.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings takes a first period shot against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings takes a first period shot against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings leaves the ice following warmups prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers checks Marco Kasper of the Detroit Red Wings during the first period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Jaroslav Chmelar of the New York Rangers cores a first period goal against John Gibson of the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

John Gibson of the Detroit Red Wings chats with Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

John Gibson of the Detroit Red Wings makes a chest save against the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Simon Edvinsson of the Detroit Red Wings defends against J.T. Miller of the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings plays against the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Will Cuylle of the New York Rangers checks Andrew Copp of the Detroit Red Wings during the second period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Axel Sandin-Pellikka of the Detroit Red Wings holds back Gabe Perreault of the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

A linesman picks up a puck d2 between the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane awaits a face-off against the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat skate for the puck during the first period at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2026 in New York.

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Red Wings fight for much-needed playoff points vs Rangers

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) and New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) battle for the puck during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

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None of the other games that mattered in the standings were in the books when the Wings finished their game. Two of the other teams coming into the day with 88 points were in action: The Philadelphia Flyers against the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Columbus Blue Jackets were idle. The Washington Capitals, still in the race with 87 points when the day began, were also in action, against the New York Rangers.

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Flattening the score

Young defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka (playing in his second consecutive game while Justin Faulk nurses a lower-body injury) scored at 7:18 of the third period to pull the Wings within two goals, part of an 8-1 edge in shots to start that period. J.T. Compher tipped Simon Edvinsson’s shot at 11:44 to make it a one-goal game. A short little chip shot by Patrick Kane, from a pass by Alex DeBrincat, tied the game with 5:24 to play.

Kirill Kaprizov completed a hat trick when he scored with 1:51 to play during a Minnesota power play.

The rally resembled the March 28 home game against the Philadelphia Flyers, when the Wings scored three straight goals in the third period after falling behind by four goals.

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One shot, one goal

Early in the first period, Kane dropped the puck back and it was picked up by Sandin-Pellikka, who found Albert Johansson at center ice, and he skated the puck to the top of the left circle before ripping a shot that sank behind Filip Gustavsson at 1:40. Ten minutes later, that was still the Wings’ only shot on net. In fact, it took around 15 minutes before Gustavsson made a save, as his teammates blocked shots or forced shots wide. Shots in the first period favored the Wild, 6-3.

First to three four

The Wild struck back with two quick goals to open the second period and soon were at three, and then on to four.

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The avalanche began 18 seconds in, when Matt Boldy first helped knock the puck off Simon Edvinsson, then skated to the net and snapped a puck into the net. Less than a minute later, at 1:25, Kaprizov tipped Ryan Hartman’s shot for a 2-1 lead. Vladimir Tarasenko, whose stint with the Wings last season was marked by underachievement, dinged his former team when he scored just as the Wings had killed a penalty to Sandin-Pellikka.

Kaprizov scored again at 12:32 of the second period, set up by Brock Faber. Jacob Bernard-Docker carried the puck up the wall and sent it across Minnesota’s blue line to Dylan Larkin, but he was unable to maintain control and Faber found Kaprizov as he came off the bench and scored on a breakaway.

Talbot starts

Cam Talbot made his first start since March 4, breaking a string of 14 straight starts for John Gibson. Since that start, Talbot had played just short of 70 minutes, subbing into games largely to spell Gibson in games that were pretty much decided (like in the March 31 game at the Pittsburgh Penguins, when the Wings trailed by three goals after the first period).

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Next up for the Red Wings

The Red Wings remain home, taking on their fellow playoff-hopeful Blue Jackets on Tuesday (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit).

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings rally too late in 5-4 loss to Minnesota Wild