Good news for the Detroit Red Wings' draft lottery odds: They lost in regulation Saturday.
After racking up nine points over their previous six games, their second-to-last outing of the season at Little Caesars Arena ended with a 5-1 loss to the playoff-chasing Pittsburgh Penguins.
The game was the Wings' first after being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for a seventh straight season. The current crop of players have focused on making these last weeks meaningful, and winning habits do matter, but it is to the organization's advantage that the Wings at least remain among the 11 worst teams in the standings.