The Detroit Red Wings came back from a 2-0 deficit on Saturday afternoon against the Chicago Blackhawks to force overtime. The Red Wings went on to lose in a shootout, meaning they finished the regular season with 102 points. The shootout loss also means that the Red Wings clinched the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, matching them up with the Nashville Predators in the first round of the 2012 NHL playoffs.
Had the Red Wings won Saturday's game against the Blackhawks, they would have needed a loss later in the day by the Predators to clinch home ice in the first round of the playoffs. Had Detroit simply lost in regulation, the Red Wings would be heading west to take on the champion of the Pacific Division. That would have provided a better matchup, but at least this way the Red Wings don't have to travel quite as much.
Here's a look at the top eight of the current NHL standings (only the Red Wings and Blackhawks have completed the regular season):
1. Vancouver Canucks (109 points)
2. St. Louis Blues (107)
3. Phoenix Coyotes (95)
4. Nashville Predators (102)
5. Detroit Red Wings (102)
6. Chicago Blackhawks (101)
7. Los Angeles Kings (94)
8. San Jose Sharks (94)
The Red Wings will play in Nashville for the first two games of the playoffs. The series will then shift to Detroit for Game 3 and Game 4. If necessary, Game 6 will be played in Detroit and Game 5 and Game 7 will be in Nashville.
For more on the Detroit Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. For more on the NHL's playoff race and more, head over to the SB Nation NHL hub.