Red Wings visit Pittsburgh with 'huge' playoff implications

(Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
The calendar says the Stanley Cup playoffs haven't started yet, but the standings indicate that the game Thursday between the Pittsburgh Penguins and visiting Detroit Red Wings might as well be a postseason affair.

The Penguins (36-30-12) and Red Wings (38-32-8) are tied with 84 points each, onepoint out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and each has