Larkin Hat Trick Keeps Red Wings' Playoff Hopes Alive

Detroit captain's big night buys team crucial breathing room in tight East wild card race

Apr. 10, 2026 at 9:08am

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A fragmented, multi-angled painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and the rink broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of red, white, and blue, capturing the energy and intensity of the action.A cubist interpretation of the Red Wings' crucial victory, with Larkin's hat trick and Seider's five-point night fracturing the action into a dynamic geometric composition.Today in Detroit

Dylan Larkin scored a hat trick and added an assist as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 on Thursday night, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. The win moves the Red Wings to 91 points with three games remaining, still trailing the Ottawa Senators for the East's second wild card spot.

Why it matters

The Red Wings have been clinging to playoff position for months after surging into contention earlier in the season. Larkin's heroics give the team a much-needed boost as they try to end their nine-year postseason drought, with the Senators, Islanders, and Blue Jackets all within striking distance.

The details

Larkin scored three goals, including a shorthanded tally that stood as the game-winner, to power the Red Wings' offense. Defenseman Moritz Seider added a goal and four assists for his first career five-point game, while Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat also found the back of the net. The win came after the Red Wings had gone just 3-6-1 in their previous 10 games, raising questions about their ability to hold onto a playoff spot.

  • The Red Wings (41-29-9) have 91 points with three games remaining.
  • The Ottawa Senators (94 points, three games left) currently hold the East's second wild card spot.
  • The New York Islanders (91 points, three games left) and Columbus Blue Jackets (90 points, three games left) are also in the mix.

The players

Dylan Larkin

The Red Wings' captain, who has been with the team through their nine-year playoff drought, scored a hat trick and added an assist to keep Detroit's postseason hopes alive.

Moritz Seider

The Red Wings' star defenseman recorded a goal and four assists for his first career five-point game.

Patrick Kane

The veteran forward scored a goal and had two assists in the win.

Alex DeBrincat

The Red Wings' leading goal scorer netted his 40th of the season, becoming the first Detroit player to reach that mark since 2008-09.

Todd McLellan

The Red Wings' head coach was pleased with his team's response after a recent rough stretch, saying he felt they were ready to play after a good practice the day before.

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What they’re saying

“I mean, saying it is one thing, and going home, and thinking about it all day and night, and driving my wife crazy for all the ups and downs. But to go out and do it, and that's what we did as a team.”

— Dylan Larkin, Red Wings captain

“Clearly he's skating better the last two games than he had been. So that's a really easy answer. The skating, the pace and the ability to separate from the checkers and pull away, even more power and pop in a shot. And a lot of that comes from loading your body up with your legs and releasing it.”

— Todd McLellan, Red Wings head coach

“We need six more points, and then we'll see where we land.”

— Moritz Seider, Red Wings defenseman

What’s next

The Red Wings will host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, April 11 in their home finale, with a chance to gain more ground in the wild card race.

The takeaway

Larkin's heroics have given the Red Wings a much-needed boost as they fight to end their nine-year playoff drought, but they still have work to do to secure a postseason berth with the Senators, Islanders, and Blue Jackets all in close pursuit.