Washington Capitals win without playing as Dallas Stars collapse opens playoff door

Thanks to a wild third-period comeback by the Detroit Red Wings, the Dallas Stars took their sixth straight loss and the effects just might change the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Detroit dropped six goals in the third period alone and stunned the Dallas Stars 6-4 at Little Caesars Arena in what felt more like a playoff celebration than a regular-season game.

Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider were on fire where each notched three points in the third and ignited the Detroit Red Wings to their fourth win in six game.

Cam Talbot was solid with 24 saves and Vladimir Tarasenko iced it with a late empty-netter but Dallas who are already locked into the second seed in the Central Division, chose to rest key players like Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell.

But that strategy may have backfired, with Colorado creeping up in the standings and playoff seeding is suddenly back in play and then the Washington Capitals too for the home-ice advantge

As soon as the dust settled, Ted Starkey lit up X with a playoff bombshell:

What does it mean? That the Washington Capitals just upgraded their playoff positioning without even stepping on the ice and with the Stars in freefall and the standings shifting, Washington now controls a lot more of its destiny than expected.