DETROIT _ The Red Wings got a much-needed loss to keep them steady in the standings as the season winds down.
After banking an inopportune seven points the previous four games, the Wings fell, 4-3, Thursday at Little Caesars Arena to the Montreal Canadiens, a team below Detroit in the standings. The Wings are better off finishing low in the standings to improve draft lottery odds and overall draft positioning as they are in rebuilding mode.
Detroit is now 30-39-12 on the season and has 72 points. That's sixth worst in the league.
Things shaped up the Wings' way when Nicolas Deslauriers deflected the puck past Jared Coreau 5:46 into the game, but it was 1-1 before the first period ended. It was beautiful, though: Dylan Larkin powered through two defenders to drive to Montreal's net and snuck a backhand behind Antti Niemi.
Tyler Bertuzzi knocked Henrik Zetterberg's pass into an open net at 2:27 of the second period, but Brendan Gallagher scored off a give-and-go with Jonathan Drouin to pull even at 11:39 of the second period. Coreau coughed up another to Deslauriers at 14:39 to restore Montreal's lead.
Artturi Lehkonen and Darren Helm traded goals a minute apart early in the third period.
