{"id":545723,"date":"2026-04-07T15:21:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/545723\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T15:21:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:21:13","slug":"blue-jackets-face-must-win-game-against-red-wings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/545723\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Jackets Face Must-Win Game Against Red Wings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. \u203a<\/a><\/p>\n

\"AThe high-stakes clash between the Blue Jackets and Red Wings is captured in a cubist painting that deconstructs the game into a dynamic, geometric composition.Columbus Today<\/p>\n

The Columbus Blue Jackets will take on the Detroit Red Wings in a crucial late-season game that could determine the playoff fates of both teams. The Blue Jackets enter the game on a six-game losing streak and desperately need a win to keep their postseason hopes alive, while the Red Wings are also reeling having lost five of their last eight games. This matchup between the two teams tied in the standings will likely eliminate the loser from playoff contention.<\/p>\n

Why it matters<\/p>\n

With the Buffalo Sabres having already clinched a playoff spot, the Red Wings are now the team with the longest active playoff drought, having not made the postseason since 2016. A loss for Detroit could put significant pressure on general manager Steve Yzerman, who may face calls for his job if the team misses the playoffs again. For the Blue Jackets, this is a must-win game as they try to turn around their recent skid and secure a spot in the crowded Eastern Conference playoff race.<\/p>\n

The details<\/p>\n

The Blue Jackets and Red Wings enter the game tied with 88 points, but Detroit holds the tiebreakers with more regulation wins and more ROW. Columbus will need to win this game, preferably in regulation, to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Red Wings have been getting strong goaltending from John Gibson, who has taken over as the team’s #1 netminder. Offensively, the Red Wings are led by Alex DeBrincat, who has 39 goals and 81 points on the season. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, are looking to spark their struggling offense and get back to the aggressive, forechecking style that propelled them earlier in the season.<\/p>\n

The Blue Jackets and Red Wings have split their first two meetings this season, with the home team winning both games in overtime.Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM Eastern Time on April 7, 2026.<\/p>\n

The players<\/p>\n

Alex DeBrincat<\/p>\n

The leading scorer for the Detroit Red Wings, having tallied 39 goals and 81 points so far this season.<\/p>\n

John Gibson<\/p>\n

The Red Wings’ starting goaltender, who has posted a 28-20-3 record with a .904 save percentage and 2.62 goals against average.<\/p>\n

Steve Yzerman<\/p>\n

The general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, who could face pressure to keep his job if the team misses the playoffs again this season.<\/p>\n

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\n What\u2019s next<\/p>\n

The outcome of this game will have major implications for the playoff hopes of both the Blue Jackets and Red Wings. A loss for Columbus would likely eliminate them from postseason contention, while a loss for Detroit could increase the pressure on general manager Steve Yzerman.<\/p>\n

The takeaway<\/p>\n

This late-season matchup between the Blue Jackets and Red Wings represents a pivotal moment in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Both teams are desperate for a win to keep their postseason dreams alive, setting the stage for an intense and high-stakes clash between these two rivals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Got story updates? Submit your updates here. \u203a The high-stakes clash between the Blue Jackets and Red Wings…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":545724,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5108],"tags":[3644,5180,897,230,5179,5,4],"class_list":{"0":"post-545723","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-columbus-blue-jackets","8":"tag-blue-jackets","9":"tag-bluejackets","10":"tag-columbus","11":"tag-columbus-blue-jackets","12":"tag-columbusbluejackets","13":"tag-hockey","14":"tag-nhl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/116364109322080673","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/545723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=545723"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/545723\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/545724"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=545723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=545723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=545723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}