Although the Red Wings lost in overtime to the Islanders on New Year's Eve, the one point gave Detroit a total of 53 on the season. That is enough to put the Red Wings into a tie for first place in all of the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Because the Penguins have played one more game than the Red Wings, Detroit is technically ahead of Pittsburgh in the NHL standings as 2011 begins. Right now the top five of the NHL looks like this:
↵t-1. Detroit Red Wings (53 points)
↵t-1. Pittsburgh Penguins (53)
↵t-3. Vancouver Canucks (51)
↵t-3. Philadelphia Flyers (51)
↵t-5. Tampa Bay Lightning (49)
↵t-5. Washington Capitals (49)
↵In the Western Conference, the Red Wings hold a two-point advantage over the second place Canucks. The Dallas Stars are third with 48 points, and after that there are four teams tied with 45 points. The Anaheim Ducks round out the current playoff picture, as they are in eighth with 44 points.