MONTREAL _ The Detroit Red Wings got the result that's better for their future, even as it's not much fun for the present team.
They lost 4-2 to the Montreal Canadiens Monday at Bell Centre, dropping three points behind Montreal. The lower a team finishes in the standings, the better the draft lottery odds, and the Wings could use a pick near the top of the 2018 NHL draft as they rebuild.
The loss keeps the Wings at 65 points, with the Canadiens jumping to 68 points. Detroit owns the fifth-worst record in the NHL.
The Wings scored first Monday, but their lead didn't last a period.
Gustav Nyquist netted his 20th goal of the season early in the first period off a quick pass from Henrik Zetterberg, but the Canadiens tied it on a power play when Paul Byron skated to the slot and sent a backhand past Wings goalie Jared Coreau.
Brendan Gallagher made it 2-1 early in the second period when he fired a shot along the goal line from the left corner; the puck appeared to deflect in off Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser.
Later in the period, Mike Reilly fired the puck from the blue line. Coreau stopped Gallagher's tip but fell backwards into the crease and ended up pushing the puck across the goal line.
Tyler Bertuzi scored a net-front goal at 13:41 of the third, pouncing on a loose puck and swiping a backhand for his second goal in two games, but hopes were squashed when Alex Galchenyuk converted during a power play at 15:34.
