Red Wings keep playoff hopes alive with 4-2 win over Flyers

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News on Apr 2, 2026

Published in Hockey

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This was a different Red Wings team from the last several games, and because of it, a different result.

Alex DeBrincat scored two goals, giving him 39 for the season, and Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists, leading the Wings to a 4-2 victory over host Philadelphia.

DeBrincat's second goal halted any momentum Philadelphia got from cutting the lead to 3-2 on Travis Konecny's goal just 1 minute, 7 seconds earlier. DeBrincat's shot from a bad angle deflected off a Flyers player and over goaltender Samuel Ersson at 10 minutes, 44 seconds, giving the Wings a 4-2 lead.

With the victory, the Wings (40-27-8, 88 points) moved into a three-way tie with Columbus (lost in Carolina) and Ottawa (defeated Buffalo) with 88 points. With the most regulation wins, Ottawa moved into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Kane gave the Wings a 3-1 cushion in the third period. Kane went in on a 2-on-1 with DeBrincat, kept the puck and beat Ersson with a wrist shot from the left circle, Kane's 14th goal.

As has been the case so often this season, it was the work of goaltender John Gibson that helped the Wings get the victory. Gibson stopped 32 shots and was sharp in the third period, including two key saves on rookie Porter Martone playing in his second NHL game.

Lucas Raymond's goal at 18:29 of the second period broke a 1-1 tie.

Simon Edvinsson made a nice move along the boards to keep the puck, and found J.T. Compher in the slot. Compher shoveled the puck to Raymond, who was all alone at the side of the net, and buried his 25th goal.

DeBrincat opened the Wings' scoring with a first-period power-play goal, DeBrincat's team-leading 38th goal. Kane saw DeBrincat alone in the slot, and DeBrincat made no mistake beating Ersson at 18:49.

Tyson Foerster got Philadelphia even at 1-1 just 31 seconds into the second period. Foerster, playing his first game in four months after recovering from an injury, snapped a shot past Gibson for his 11th goal.

The Wings lost defenseman Justin Faulk, who didn't return for the third period. Faulk played 10:49 on 16 shifts — he missed most of the second half of the second period — and was credited with one hit and one block.

This three-game road trip for the Wings concludes Saturday at Madison Square Garden, as the Wings face the New York Rangers.