Lidstrom: Red Wings will be in the playoffs

DETROIT -- Nicklas Lidstrom says he's real confident the Detroit Red Wings will be in the playoffs next month.

The captain of the Red Wings adds as long as Detroit gets in, it can achieve anything.

Detroit would be the eighth-seeded team in the Western Conference playoffs if the season ended Wednesday night.

But the Red Wings' standing is tenuous.

The Dallas Stars had a chance to match Detroit's point total Thursday night at home against St. Louis and there are four other teams within four points of the last spot for the postseason.

Detroit came out of the Olympic break with a win at Colorado, then took a step back with a 6-3 loss Wednesday night at home against Vancouver that left coach Mike Babcock discouraged by his team's effort.