Helene St. James

Detroit Free Press

BOSTON -- As Jimmy Howard put it, the Detroit Red Wings have been here before.

After losing, 5-2, in Boston Thursday, the Wings now set their eyes on winning Saturday at the New York Rangers in order to make the playoffs. They are in decent position, though, because they can advance under a number of scenarios.

If the Wings win in regulation or overtime, they clinch third place in the Atlantic Division and set up a first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

A regulation or overtime victory would get the Wings to 95 points and 40 ROWs (regulation or overtime victories), which is the first tie breaker. Even if the Bruins win their season finale, they get to 95 points, but they can't go higher than 39 ROWs.

If the Wings get one point to reach 94 points, and the Philadelphia Flyers lose to Pittsburgh, the Wings are in because they again have the ROW tiebreaker on the Flyers.

If the Wings lose, they'll still get in if Boston loses, or if the Flyers end on a losing streak.

The Rangers lost to the Islanders Thursday. If the Rangers lose again Saturday, they would finish in a wild-card spot and avoid a first-round matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Thursday the odds were against the Wings, with a short night after an emotional victory at home over the Flyers. Now the Wings get a day to recover, and then they can use the experience within the room in the Rangers game.

Three years ago, Howard and the Wings went into Dallas in the season finale -- and emerged with a 3-0 victory and a berth in the playoffs.

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Check out our Red Wings Xtra app on Apple and Android!