Detroit broke its team record of 20 straight seasons reaching the playoffs set from 1939-58. The playoff streak is the longest active run in professional sports.
The NBA’s San Antonio Spurs are expected to extend their playoff streak to 15 years; the Philadelphia Phillies have been in five straight postseasons in baseball; and the Baltimore Ravens have been in the NFL playoffs four consecutive years.
Holmstrom scored twice to help the Red Wings take a 4-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game. They had a 6-0 cushion midway through the second and a seven-goal lead early in the third.
Columbus is in last place in the NHL with 55 points.
The Red Wings, who have won two straight after dropping six in a row, are a point ahead of Nashville and five in front of Chicago for the fourth seed in the Western Conference — good for home-ice advantage in the first round — with six games left in the regular season.
In Vancouver, British Columbia, Roberto Luongo made 38 saves for his fourth shutout of the season as Vancouver blanked Los Angeles.
Manny Malhotra scored the game’s only goal in the first period and Vancouver got its third straight win without injured scoring star Daniel Sedin, who is out with a concussion. The Canucks passed 100 points for the fourth straight season and moved within two points of West-leading St. Louis.
The Kings lost their second in eight games despite outshooting Vancouver 38-25.
In Philadelphia, Martin St. Louis scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, Steven Stamkos notched his team-record 53rd goal and Tampa Bay beat Philadelphia.
Ryan Malone and J.T. Wyman also had goals to help the Lightning win their third straight game. It’s a little too late for Tampa, which is 11th in the East and seven points out of a playoff spot with seven games remaining.
Wayne Simmonds, Matt Read and Scott Hartnell scored for Philadelphia. The Flyers lost for just the third time in 14 games this month.
In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Daniel Alfredsson scored two goals in the third period to send Ottawa over Winnipeg.
Evander Kane gave the Jets hope at 17:03 of the third period after the puck went in off his arm as he was pushed into the net. The goal was reviewed, but stood to tie the game at 4-4.
Alfredsson scored his second goal of the game just 24 seconds later.
Chris Neil, Kaspars Daugavins and Kyle Turris also scored for Ottawa, while Milan Michalek added an empty-netter.
Ottawa is seventh in the East with 88 points.
In Calgary, Alberta, Mike Cammalleri had a goal and two assists, and Calgary used a four-goal second period to beat Dallas.
The Flames came in struggling offensively with six goals in the previous five games, but broke out with four over the final 11 minutes of the second period to overcome a 2-1 deficit.
Tied 3-3, Calgary took its second lead of the second period when Mark Giordano’s low slap shot eluded Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen for a power-play goal at 16:58.
Steve Ott’s tripping penalty at 18:33 gave the Flames their fourth man advantage of the period. Cammalleri’s attempted dump-in caromed into the slot off the skate of Stars defenseman Trevor Daley. Alex Tanguay’s quick shot was partially stopped by Lehtonen, but still went over him and landed in the net at 19:32.
In San Jose, California, Joe Pavelski scored two goals to help San Jose improve its playoff chances with a victory over Colorado.
San Jose jumped into the Pacific Division lead with 88 points after both the Los Angeles Kings and Dallas Stars lost earlier Monday. The Stars dropped all the way into a tie with Phoenix (87 points) for seventh and eighth place in the West.
Andrew Desjardins, Torrey Mitchell and Ryane Clowe also scored for the Sharks, who won their third straight.
Shane O’Brien scored for the Avalanche, who lost their third straight after going 7-1-1 in their previous nine games.
